HR0736 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0736 LRB104 20707 RMO 34207 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Arise Chicago on its 35th anniversary, celebrating three and a half decades of advancing worker rights, dignity, and economic justice since its founding in 1991; and

WHEREAS, Arise Chicago was founded by a diverse group of faith leaders committed to addressing systemic poverty and economic injustice in the Chicagoland area, grounded in the belief that all workers deserve dignity and respect in their workplaces; and

WHEREAS, As the number of Chicago workers facing harsh and exploitative working conditions increased, Arise Chicago expanded its mission and programming to support workers confronting wage theft, discrimination, harassment, and unsafe labor environments; and

WHEREAS, In 2001, Arise Chicago produced the first Workers' Rights Manual with easy-to-read language in Spanish, Polish, and English, outlining Illinois-specific labor protections; it became a model replicated across the country and continues to be provided as a free public resource; and

WHEREAS, Shortly after producing its Workers' Rights Manual, Arise Chicago opened a Worker Center that became a vital space for worker education, advocacy, and organizing; and

WHEREAS, Arise Chicago has partnered with thousands of workers to recover more than $10,000,000 in stolen wages and compensation and has supported workers in raising their wages by more than $6,000,000; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three and half decades, Arise Chicago has emerged as a pioneering organization and a leader in the faith-labor movement, partnering with religious institutions, labor unions, community organizations, and academic institutions to advocate for systemic policy reforms; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Arise Chicago on the historic occasion of its 35th anniversary and commend the organization for its decades of service and leadership on behalf of Chicago's workers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Laura Garza, the executive director of Arise Chicago, as an expression of our appreciation for its enduring commitment to justice and dignity for all workers.