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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Edward
4"Ed" Negron of Chicago, who passed away on July 23, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ed Negron was born on November 29, 1970; he was a
6lifelong resident of Chicago; he graduated from Carl Schurz
7High School and attended Harold Washington College; he served
8in the U.S. Army; he received his Sign Language certification
9and was a certified substance-abuse counselor; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Ed Negron was passionate about photography and
11worked as a freelance photographer, covering various events
12and private engagements; he had worked as a writer and
13photographer at Windy City Times; he was employed at Leather
1464Ten, where he was named Employee of the Year in 2020 and
152021; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Ed Negron was a dedicated bisexual volunteer,
17mentor, leader, and advocate in the LGBTQ, Latino, and
18recovering communities for many years; he spoke publicly about
19his life as a former addict, gang member, and drug dealer to
20work against the effects of drugs, addiction, homophobia, and
21oppression; he also spoke on behalf of U.S. Army veterans; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Ed Negron served as a volunteer or leader in a
2number of organizations, including the Association of Latino
3Men for Action (now the Association of Latino/as Motivating
4Action, or ALMA), Orgullo en Accion, Equality Illinois, the
5Chicago Boys Troop, International Mr. Leather (IML), the
6Chicago Task Force on LGBT Substance Use and Abuse, the
7Chicago Crystal Meth Task Force, and Compassion Action; he
8worked on LGBTQ outreach to youth with the AIDS Foundation of
9Chicago and dedicated his time to street and event outreach
10for other HIV/AIDS service providers; he chaired Chicago's
11first Latinx LGBT Pride picnic in 2006; alongside Michael
12Oboza, he co-founded the Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago in
132010; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Ed Negron received a number of awards and honors,
15including being inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in
162006, honored by The ManKind Project, and receiving
17recognition from the White House; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Ed Negron was known for his kindness, his
19unbending determination, his fearlessness, and his joyous
20spirit; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Ed Negron changed lives across Chicago through
22his leadership and his many kindnesses, by his courageousness
23in the face of adversity and his fierceness in opposing

 

 

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1injustice wherever he saw it, and by the powerful example of
2the life he chose to lead; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ed Negron is survived by his mother, Osnaida
4Rodriguez; his siblings, Ivette Rodriguez-Aponte, Ricardo
5Negron, Leo Negron Rodriguez, Monica Rodriguez, Luis Irizarry,
6Moses Irizarry, Clarybell Negron Rodriguez, Heriberto Negron
7Irizarry, and Marisabell Negron Irizarry; his nieces and
8nephews, Adrian, Amanda, Ashley, Vanessa, Floryz, Yari,
9Yovani, Athena, and Nathan; and his many friends; therefore,
10be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
12HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13we mourn the passing of Edward "Ed" Negron and extend our
14sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
15and loved him; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Ed Negron as an expression of our
18deepest sympathy.