Full Text of SR0221 103rd General Assembly
SR0221 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, A paletero is a beloved sight within the Latino | 3 | | community, serving a frozen
treat staple during the hot summer | 4 | | days; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, The paletero pushes a mobile cart, typically the | 6 | | size of a wheelbarrow,
throughout residential areas and parks, | 7 | | garnering the attention of those in the area through
bells on | 8 | | their carts; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Paleteros serve a variety of paletas, a frozen
| 10 | | treat made of natural and cultural flavors, typically with | 11 | | fresh fruit; the word paleta
refers to the stick on which the | 12 | | treat is found, and the treat mimics the shape of a popsicle; | 13 | | and | 14 | | WHEREAS, Common paleta flavors include maracuya (passion | 15 | | fruit) filled with
condensed milk, watermelon (also known as | 16 | | sandía), hibiscus flower (jamaica), rice
pudding (arroz con | 17 | | leche), milk caramel (cajeta), and mamey (a tropical tree | 18 | | fruit), just to
name a few; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Michoacan in Mexico is considered the birthplace | 20 | | of paletas, which were first introduced in the 1930s; Rafael | 21 | | Malfavon, a Michoacan native, would distribute
his paletas |
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| 1 | | using a herd of donkeys with wooden crates, which made him one | 2 | | of the first
paleteros; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, The paleteros job is physically taxing as they | 4 | | spend all day in the sun,
oftentimes walking between five and | 5 | | 10 miles a day to serve paletas to the community; the
paleteros | 6 | | carts can weigh over 200 pounds once filled, and the dry ice | 7 | | used within the
carts can burn your arms and hands if not | 8 | | careful; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, The paleteros spend much time within their | 10 | | communities; they learn familiar
faces and build relationships | 11 | | with those in the area; many people will see their
paleteros a | 12 | | few times a week, making them a key contributor to the | 13 | | neighborhood and
local economy; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, Paleteros take pride in understanding the needs | 15 | | of their communities,
knowing which paletas are best served | 16 | | where; they are familiar with activities within the
| 17 | | neighborhood, including sports games, fairs, and parades and | 18 | | often tailor their goods to the events and their demographics; | 19 | | and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Selling paletas has many benefits beyond the | 21 | | bonds formed within a community; by purchasing a paleta,
you | 22 | | are supporting a local business, enriching the community's |
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| 1 | | culture, and providing a
safe space for paleteros to continue | 2 | | their work; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Most paleteros work multiple jobs and sell | 4 | | paletas in the summer to make
additional money; regularly, | 5 | | they receive the job through recommendations from family
and | 6 | | friends within the area; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Paleteros face many barriers in their work; with | 8 | | an increase
of local ordinances making it more difficult for | 9 | | paleteros to acquire permits, it is evident
that these | 10 | | communities mourn the absence of their once beloved local | 11 | | paletero; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Paleteros are at higher risk of being robbed and | 13 | | harassed by residents; with
many paleteros only taking cash | 14 | | and with an increase of unwelcoming experiences from
| 15 | | residents, they are left vulnerable to attacks and having to | 16 | | relocate to safer areas; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Paleteros flourish within Latino-based | 18 | | communities across Illinois, including
many Chicagoland | 19 | | neighborhoods, such as Cicero, Melrose Park, and Berwyn, and | 20 | | extend into the suburbs within Kane County, including Aurora | 21 | | and Joliet, and downstate with
the Quad Cities and Fairmount | 22 | | City; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, For generations, paleteros have been bringing | 2 | | much joy to the children and
residents of the communities they | 3 | | serve; they are a staple in a local economy and an
inspiration | 4 | | to those who aspire to become small business owners; while | 5 | | their hard work
and dedication to the paleta profession often | 6 | | goes unnoticed, it is essential that we
continue to fight for | 7 | | them to have a safe space within our neighborhoods; therefore, | 8 | | be it
| 9 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | 10 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 3, 2023 | 11 | | as "Paleteros Day" in the State of Illinois.
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