HR0683 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0683 LRB096 15080 KXB 30095 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Founded in 1985, The Austin Voice has the largest circulation, is the most widely read weekly community newspaper, and is the largest African-American owned publication serving Chicago's largest neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, The philosophy of the newspaper is to serve as an open forum for community dialogue and free exchange of ideas; it built its reputation as an advocate for readers against drug dealers and street gangs; and

WHEREAS, The newspaper served as a conduit to law enforcement agencies for information from Chicago residents regarding criminal activity; these agencies praise the newspaper for its vital assistance in facilitating the arrests of dangerous felons and credit the paper with breaking a major international narcotics conspiracy centered on Chicago's West Side; and

WHEREAS, The Austin Voice is the only newspaper to receive the prestigious Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major For Justice Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; it is also recipient of the highest honor from the League of Black Women and was also selected by the Society of Professional Journalists to receive the Ethics in Journalism Award from the Headline Club of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The Austin Voice and the Chicago Civic Media Project implemented a unique Citizen/Police/Media partnership called the West Side Drug Area Shut-Down Project for successfully fighting crime; the newspaper and Chicago Civic Media Project teamed up again to work with students at Marshall High School in publishing a newspaper that resulted in more freshman applications to the school than for any other high school on the West Side; and

WHEREAS, In January of 2004, The Austin Voice launched a sister publication, The Garfield-Lawndale Voice; The Garfield-Lawndale Voice has been telling West Side stories for 5 years; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the staff of both The Austin Voice and The Garfield-Lawndale Voice for their anniversary year of publication and wish them continued success in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the staff of The Austin Voice and The Garfield-Lawndale Voice as symbols of our respect and esteem.