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HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to commend the Reverend Jesse Lewis
4Jackson on founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and its legacy
5of making a difference; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In 1962, the Southern Christian Leadership
7Conference launched Operation Breadbasket in Atlanta, Georgia;
8in 1966, Reverend Jackson began leading Operation Breadbasket
9in Chicago; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In 1971, Reverend Jackson launched his own
11economic empowerment organization called Operation PUSH
12(People United to Serve Humanity); and
 
13    WHEREAS, In 1984, following his first presidential
14campaign, Reverend Jackson launched the National Rainbow
15Coalition, which sought equal rights for all Americans; a
16central thrust of the Coalition was the demand for social
17programs, voting rights, and affirmative action for minority
18groups; and
 
19    WHEREAS, In 1996, the National Rainbow Coalition and
20Operation PUSH merged to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition with
21its international headquarters in Chicago; the mission of the

 

 

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1Rainbow PUSH Coalition was to protect, defend, and gain civil
2rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields
3and to promote peace and justice around the world; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Today, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition continues to
5protect and promote the civil rights of African Americans
6while also addressing social and economic issues affecting
7marginalized communities; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Under Reverend Jackson's leadership, the Rainbow
9PUSH Coalition has focused on a range of issues, including
10voting rights, economic justice, education, affordable
11housing, and health-care access; the Coalition advocates for
12policies that promote equality, fairness, and social justice
13related to civil rights and economic empowerment and engages
14in public policy advocacy, corporate accountability campaigns,
15and other issues that will bring about positive change; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The Rainbow Push Coalition continues to bring
17attention to the problems and issues facing marginalized
18communities through local and national media and through
19sharing and discussing information; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The Rainbow PUSH Coalition Convention is an
21annual event where participants gain an understanding of the
22Coalition's causes, develop resolutions, and design solutions;

 

 

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1each year in July, national and worldwide leaders as well as
2those from Chicago attend the convention for three days of
3workshops and panels focusing on wealth building, health
4inequities, business, leadership, and more; and
 
5    WHEREAS, This highly anticipated convention, organized
6under Reverend Jackson's leadership, is considered the largest
7of its kind in the nation; the convention provides the only
8major platform for activists, community leaders, policy
9makers, and individuals from various backgrounds to come
10together and address issues and solutions that affect and will
11enhance the lives of African Americans; and
 
12    WHEREAS, This year, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition will host
13its annual convention with the theme "The Perilous Journey
14from Freedom to Equality"; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17we commend Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson on founding the
18Rainbow PUSH Coalition and for all of the work the Coalition
19has accomplished for the betterment of marginalized
20communities and our State and nation as a whole; and be it
21further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to Reverend Jackson as a symbol of our esteem and
2respect.