HR0027 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0027 LRB096 04756 GRL 14820 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Rev. Geri Solomon on the occasion of her 75th birthday; and

WHEREAS, Geri Solomon was born in Mound Bayou, Mississippi and was raised in Chicago; she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Education from St. Stephen's Baptist College in Los Angeles, California and was ordained in 1977; and

WHEREAS, From 1979 to 1987, Rev. Geri Solomon served as Executive Director of the "WE THE PEOPLE" program for the needy, where she was responsible for the operation of food pantries, shelters, and clothing and transportation programs; she has been an advocate for the homeless for over 15 years, serving their needs in St. Paul, Minnesota, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, and Aurora; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon has been an active participant in various social movements, including the civil rights movement, peace movements, anti-war movements, and the fight for the ratification of the ERA; in furtherance of her numerous causes, she has marched on Washington, D.C. and other American cities and counties 31 times from 1954 to 1988; in 1963, she helped organize Chicago's West Side for Dr. Martin Luther King's March on Washington; from 1996 to 1997, she participated in Aurora's City-Wide Peace Coalition, a group dedicated to creating an agenda of peace in the City of Aurora; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon has been an active participant in local and national politics; in 1984, she actively worked with Minnesota's A.M.E. church to elect the Reverend Jesse Jackson President of the United States; she also served as a Democratic precinct captain in St. Paul, Minnesota and was the first black woman to chair a State-wide presidential campaign, having worked for Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich during his 2004 Presidential bid; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon currently serves as pastor at Temple of Wisdom Evangelistic Ministries; she is the Founder and Executive Director of the Inner-City Advocates for the Homeless, a homeless program that operates day shelters for women and children; she is also president and co-founder of the Midwest Evangelistic Team, an evangelistic team organized to unify efforts in soul-winning throughout the Midwest; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon has been the recipient of numerous awards for her work with the homeless; in 1983, she was the recipient of a "11 Who Care" Award from NBC Channel 11; that same year, she received a medallion from Jackie Kennedy Onassis for her work with the needy; and

WHEREAS, In 1996, Rev. Geri Solomon wrote and published "Soul Winner's Handbook", a book about everyday evangelism that can be done by everyone; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon is a member of the Mount Olive Church of God in Christ; she is the mother of four girls and two boys; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rev. Geri Solomon on the occasion of her 75th birthday and wish her many more happy and healthy years to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rev. Geri Solomon as a symbol of our esteem and respect.