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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to recognize the National Association of
4Black Social Workers, Inc. (NABSW), comprised of people of
5African ancestry, for its commitment to enhancing the quality
6of life and empowering people of African ancestry through
7advocacy, human services delivery, and research; and
 
8    WHEREAS, NABSW was created during the 1960s Civil Rights
9Movement in San Francisco, California on May 8, 1968 by a group
10of Black social workers who were convened for the National
11Conference on Social Welfare, the largest professional social
12work organization at the time; the organization's early
13activity was spearheaded by Cenie "Jomo" Williams Jr., the
14first national president and later the first executive
15director, who was instrumental in developing chapters in the
16United States, South America, the Caribbean, and Canada; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Through NABSW, people of African ancestry had an
18opportunity to unify in combating racism and white supremacy
19in the social welfare system; this new organization
20immediately articulated demands for change within the existing
21welfare structure; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Since 1969, NABSW has sponsored annual national

 

 

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1conferences that address issues of social work service
2delivery, education, research, and alternative ideas for
3improving communities in America for people of African
4ancestry; and
 
5    WHEREAS, NABSW has additionally produced several position
6statements and publications in order to relate issues within
7the human services, social welfare, and juvenile justice
8systems and other systems that impact clients, the community,
9staff, educators, and policymakers; and
 
10    WHEREAS, NABSW's activities have also included
11participating in efforts to secure reparations for people of
12African ancestry, spotlighting the overrepresentation of
13African American children in child welfare and juvenile
14justice systems, studying the health and wellness of African
15Americans, providing voter education, and numerous additional
16advocacy efforts at the local, regional, and national levels;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, NABSW has become the foremost advocacy group
19established to address social issues and concerns of the Black
20community and, since its inception, has worked to create a
21world in which people of African ancestry will live free from
22racial domination, economic exploitation, and cultural
23oppression; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, NABSW, in collaboration with national,
2international, and other appropriate groups, continues to
3leverage its collective expertise to strategically develop the
4capacity of people of African ancestry to sustain and
5flourish; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
7HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we recognize the National Association of Black Social Workers,
9Inc. (NABSW) for its commitment to enhancing the quality of
10life and empowering people of African ancestry through
11advocacy, human services delivery, and research; and be it
12further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to NABSW as an expression of our esteem and respect.