HR1049 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1049 LRB102 29937 LAW 42114 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to honor the tenure of our esteemed colleague, Representative and Assistant Majority Leader Delia Ramirez, and thank her for her dedicated service to our State and to the people of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Born in the Belmont Cragin community in Chicago, Leader Ramirez is the daughter of working-class Guatemalan immigrants; her mother crossed the border while pregnant to give her children new opportunities in the United States, and her family moved soon after to Humboldt Park; her parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet and care for their children; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez's experiences in her younger years propelled her to a life of serving others; she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies from Northeastern Illinois University; she has spent most of her professional life serving as a community organizer and social services director; she was the founding executive director of the Center for Changing Lives; she also worked in the nonprofit space for Common Cause and Community Renewal Society and was the board chair for the Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) and the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA); throughout her career, she has been dedicated to fighting for affordable housing, high-quality education, and expanding access to social services; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez ran for state representative of the 4th House District in 2018, becoming the first Guatemalan American elected to the Illinois General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, During her time as a state representative, Leader Ramirez's strong commitment to lifting working families and immigrant communities was clear as she developed a robust and progressive agenda to help the people of Chicago and the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez has been a strong voice for high-quality public education, and she was a chief cosponsor for the law to create an elected school board in Chicago, therefore ensuring that Chicago families have a strong voice about the decisions made in their public schools; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez pushed to expand Medicaid coverage to older Illinoisans regardless of their immigration status, therefore reaffirming her commitment to lifting immigrant communities and ensuring that health care is equitable and affordable for all; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez has been committed to ensuring that housing is accessible and affordable for all and was integral in passing the emergency housing law to keep people housed during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez worked tirelessly in her district office to ensure her community had access to state and community information and resources by hosting numerous job fairs, food pantry collection drives, and healthcare enrollment workshops; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez ran for U.S. Congress in the Illinois 3rd District in 2022, making history as the first Illinois and Midwestern Latina elected to Congress; and

WHEREAS, Leader Ramirez has broken barriers for both women and the Latino community during her time in public service; all who had the honor to serve alongside her know that she will continue to use her passion and unwavering commitment to fight for the people of Illinois at the federal level; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Representative and Assistant Majority Leader Delia Ramirez on her retirement as a state representative, thank her for her years of dedicated service, and wish her continued success in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Leader Ramirez as an expression of our respect and esteem.