HR0282

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate Mary 
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Gonzalez-Koenig on the occasion of her retirement from the 
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National Latino Education Institute after 44 years of dedicated 
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service as the organization's founder and president; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Gonzalez-Koenig was born and raised in the 
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City of Chicago; her father labored as a blue-collar worker and 
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her mother was a dedicated homemaker; her parents, like many 
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immigrant families today, had to assimilate into an American 
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lifestyle while teaching their children to embrace their 
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Mexican heritage; growing up in a dual-culture, Mary understood 
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that just like her family, many other immigrant families came 
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to the United States in pursuit of a better life; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Gonzalez-Koenig has had a long career of 
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community and public service; her record of service began in 
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the early 1960s while working at a settlement house, where she 
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became actively involved in grass-roots movements advocating 
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employment and training programs for the poor; during the 
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1970's, while performing community work, she was also dedicated 
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to raising her family in the Pilsen area, a port-of-entry and a 
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predominantly Latino neighborhood in Chicago where the 
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majority of families are Mexican immigrants; as a proud mother 
 


 






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of four with thirteen grandchildren, her community work has 
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always instituted the notion of family integrity as the focal 
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point of her endeavors; and

 
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    WHEREAS, One of Mary Gonzalez-Koenig's greatest 
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achievements was the founding in 1972 of the Spanish Coalition 
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for Jobs, Inc. (SCJ), a not-for-profit organization dedicated 
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to providing economic development programs to community 
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residents such as job placement, skills training, and 
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educational and supportive services; born out of a grass-roots 
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effort by community agencies, SCJ advocated for affirmative 
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action, equal opportunity, and recognition of Latino 
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participation in the workforce at Fortune 500 corporations; 
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from its humble beginnings, SCJ eventually became one of the 
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largest Latino employment, training, and advocacy non-profit 
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agencies in Illinois; SCJ is also a nationally-accredited 
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business and training center approved by the Illinois State 
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Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Education; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1979, after realizing the significant lack of 
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Latinos behind and in front of media cameras of local 
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television stations, Mary Gonzalez-Koenig founded and became 
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Chairperson of the Latino Council On the Media (LCOM), an 
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organization dedicated to increasing the hiring and promotion 
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of Latinos in print and electronic journalism; LCOM's other 
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objectives include student internships, economic development, 
 


 






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community involvement and support, and the balanced portrayal 
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of Latinos to combat the negative stereotypical reporting of 
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the Latino community; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1989, Mary Gonzalez-Koenig was appointed to 
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serve as Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Employment and 
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Training by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in recognition of 
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her leadership qualities; holding the position for five years, 
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she was successful in bringing together business, educators, 
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and government to develop the "YES Chicago" school-to-work 
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transition programs; she subsequently became the Executive 
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Director of Corporate Services and Enrollment Management at the 
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City Colleges of Chicago, a position she held for four years; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Gonzalez-Koenig has served on many civic, 
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business, neighborhood, and service organizations, including 
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the Pilsen-Neighbors Community Council, the Metropolitan 
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Economic Development Alliance, the National Council of La Raza, 
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the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed 
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Officials, the Chicago Boys and Girls Club, and Voices for 
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Illinois Children; she has received numerous awards for her 
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civic and community contributions, including an Honorary 
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Degree of Doctor of Public Service by the College of Office 
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Technology in Chicago and the distinguished National Hispanic 
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Hero Award of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Conference; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Mary Gonzalez-Koenig serves as a model of hard 
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work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of 
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Illinois; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Mary Gonzalez-Koenig on the occasion of her 
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retirement and wish her many happy and healthy retirement 
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years; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Mary Gonzalez-Koenig as a symbol of our esteem and 
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respect.