SR0528 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0528 LRB103 34561 MST 64398 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Brent Rayburn Reddrick Hamlet, who passed away on September 24, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet was born to Debra and Kenneth Hamlet on October 17, 1987; he received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Alcorn State University and was completing a Master of Arts in School Counseling from Chicago State University; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet worked at Horizons for Youth in Chicago, where he managed and advocated for middle school-aged students and their families in the Explore group, through which he began pursuing a personal mission of positively impacting youth and families; he was an educator, community organizer, and life coach with more than 10 years of experience, and he was fully committed to an abolitionist pedagogy; he worked side-by-side with underserved families in a variety of settings; most recently, he directed and designed after-school enrichment programs on the South Side; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet was a Fellow with Chicago United For Equity and was recently elected vice chairman of the Policy Steering Committee with the Workers Center for Racial Justice; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet was a devoted member of Trinity United Church of Christ, where he served on both the Social Justice Ministry and the 20 Something Ministry; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet exhibited an early thirst for knowledge about the African continent and African-descended peoples of the Diaspora; his mother infused a love of reading books and skills in seeking knowledge, oratory/public speaking, and speech writing, which served him well as an adult; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet was determined to always do things his way; he never met a stranger and was able to build rapport with those he encountered; he was a caring and thoughtful son, grandson, sibling, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet was preceded in death by his mother, Debra Lynn Reddrick Hamlet; and

WHEREAS, Brent Hamlet is survived by his father, Ken Hamlet; his siblings, Babatunde, Brielle, and Daren; his nieces and nephews, A'mia Imani Beeks, Joven Hamlet, Kaysen "Sunni" Hamlet, and Salem Kathlynn Hamlet; his uncles, Charles Rayburn and Mark Reddrick; his aunts, Earline Mayo, Cynthia Reddrick, and Marlo Reddrick Hyde; his cousins, Mark Andrew (Sally) Battin Reddrick and Jared Reddrick; and numerous other first, second, and third cousins and close relatives from across the country; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Brent Rayburn Reddrick Hamlet and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Brent Hamlet as an expression of our deepest sympathy.