The Honorable Helen Giddings is an award-winning history-maker who has built a storied career steeped in public service and entrepreneurship. The lifelong Dallas County resident has also achieved global reach, impacting communities from DeSoto, Tex. to Soweto, South Africa. She served 26 years in the Texas House Of Representatives while also building a successful airport concessions business from the ground up, growing from two to more than 150 employees. Through her work, she gained renown for creating long-term transformations in education, business development, women empowerment, access, and the arts. 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥In the Texas House, she was the first African American and woman to chair the Business and Industry committee. Giddings was also a member of the Appropriations, State Affairs, and Calendars committees, and served as chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.As a strong education advocate, among her many and varied accomplishments, she helped create the University Of North Texas at Dallas and its law school; overhauled the developmental education system in Texas; co-founded the University of Texas’ Academic Bridge Program; and helped create alcohol-free zones near schools.For the past 15 years, Giddings has served as South Africa Honorary Consul for Texas and is privileged to have met and worked with the late President Nelson Mandela. She was also the first woman to chair the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, and the first Texan and woman of color to chair the National Foundation of Women Legislators. Giddings has received countless local and national awards and honors for her service, including being named one of EBONY’s Top 100+ Most Influential African Americans. and receiving an honorary doctorate from Paul Quinn College.Today, she continues to build platforms to help empower women, create opportunities for entrepreneurs and business professionals, build generational wealth, and level the higher education playing field.𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗗𝗘:• The Women’s Leadership Summit in partnership with the University of North Texas at Dallas Foundation to advance equity in women’s education and empowerment; • Fundraising for scholarships in her name at several organizations and colleges; and • Developing a network through the Western Area of The Links, Incorporated Black Women Empowering Black Women program to prepare women to run for office and to serve on corporate boards.