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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly are
3saddened to learn of the death of Henry "Hank" Martinez; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Henry Martinez was born in Chicago to parents who
5came from Guanajuato, Mexico; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Henry Martinez dedicated his life to provide
7guidance for youth and to empower Latino communities; he was
8the Founder and Executive Director of the Mexican Community
9Committee, which was established to reduce crime and gang
10activity and was the first entity of its kind in the southeast
11community of Chicago; he was the Founder and Director of the
12Latino Resource Institute of Illinois, which also houses an
13Illinois Welcoming Center and Family Advocacy Center; he served
14as Senior Supervisor at the Chicago Area Project, which
15addresses juvenile delinquency in some of the poorest
16communities of the City of Chicago; he launched the first
17Latino community college program in southeast Chicago,
18"Projecto Venceremos", which was later adopted by the City
19Colleges of Chicago; he also served as part of Governor
20Ogilvie's Spanish Speaking Peoples Study Commission in the
21early 1970s, one of the first Latino commissions in the nation;
22and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Over 3 decades later, Henry Martinez became
2convinced that Latinos needed a voice inside State government
3more than ever, which led him to become the visionary force
4behind the creation of the Illinois Latino Family Commission;
5he began serving as the organization's chairman in 2010 and led
6the efforts to fight for Latino equity and inclusion; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Henry Martinez served his country as a member of
8the United States military during the Korean War; he
9subsequently made it his mission to ensure that Latino veterans
10have a voice and access to well-deserved support; he was the
11founder of the Latino Veterans Committee of the Illinois Latino
12Family Commission to provide a forum to connect Latino veterans
13throughout the State to resources and each other; he led the
14efforts to establish a Vietnam veterans memorial in south
15Chicago that stands as a testament today to his commitment to
16his fellow veterans; he was also an active member of the
17American G.I. Forum and numerous boards, councils, and
18commissions throughout his many years of service and advocacy;
19and
 
20    WHEREAS, Henry Martinez graduated from Roosevelt
21University and the University of Chicago and held a master's
22degree in Juvenile Justice from Chicago State University; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Henry Martinez will be fondly remembered by those

 

 

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1who knew and loved him for his roles as community organizer,
2youth advocate, government worker, consultant, journalist,
3social worker, executive director, Latino community leader,
4and devoted father, as well as his work as an action-oriented
5leader that accomplished many firsts on behalf of the Latino
6community; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Henry Martinez is survived by his wife, Linda; his
8daughters, Alison and Kristal; and his new baby grandson;
9therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
12SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we, along with his family and
13friends, mourn the passing of Henry "Hank" Martinez; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Henry Martinez as an expression of
17our sympathy.