HR0917 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0917 LRB104 21978 RMO 37946 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Rey B. Gonzalez on 50 years of work in civil rights and community development as well as 45 years of service to El Valor; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez, president and chief executive officer of El Valor, has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to social justice and community empowerment; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago to parents who, along with his grandmother, deeply emphasized the importance of education; and

WHEREAS, Prior to entering corporate America, Mr. Gonzalez served as the regional Midwest director of the National Council of La Raza and worked at the Chicago Urban League, where he successfully helped place more than 2,500 women and minorities in skilled, highly paid building and construction trade jobs; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez continued to champion opportunities for the advancement of Latinos, minorities, and underrepresented people through high-level corporate leadership positions at the McDonald's Corporation and Commonwealth Edison (ComEd); and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez has dedicated 45 years of service to El Valor, a nonprofit organization founded in 1973 by the late Guadalupe A. Reyes to support bilingual families and individuals with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez has held leadership roles at El Valor for decades, having served as chairman of the board of directors for more than 30 years before transitioning into his current role as president and chief executive officer in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Under the visionary stewardship of Mr. Gonzalez, El Valor has flourished from a very small organization housed in a building in desperate need of repair into one of the 25 largest Hispanic-serving nonprofit organizations in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Through Mr. Gonzalez's leadership, El Valor has achieved historic milestones for the State of Illinois, including establishing the State's first bilingual, bicultural rehabilitation center, starting the first computer programming training center for people with disabilities, and building the state's first intermediate care facility; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez spearheaded innovative initiatives such as the Tocar El Futuro/Touch the Future early childhood education model and the Parents As First Teachers awareness campaign; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez initiated the Leadership through Education university partnership to bridge the credential gap for Latinos, resulting in hundreds of working people earning degrees directly within the community at El Valor centers; and

WHEREAS, Under the executive guidance of Mr. Gonzalez, El Valor has constructed children and family centers in Pilsen, South Chicago, and Little Village and expanded its adult residential program to six separate residences for individuals with intellectual disabilities, now serving over 4,000 children, adults, and families annually; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez has been a tireless advocate for technological equity, ensuring the installation of smart classrooms and iPads to guarantee digital access for lower-income, non-English speaking community members; and

WHEREAS, Beyond El Valor, Mr. Gonzalez has extended his leadership as a cofounder and board member of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, and he serves on the boards of Mt. Sinai Hospital and the American STEM Alliance; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Gonzalez's extensive advocacy has earned him numerous accolades, including being named among the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in America, receiving the U.S. Hispanic Hero Award, having two annual scholarships established in his name, and having a resource center for children and families named in his honor on the southeast side of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his historic career, Mr. Gonzalez has been supported by his wife, Hilda, and their four children, Rey, Daniel, Adam, and Rachel; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rey B. Gonzalez on his 50 years of extraordinary work advancing civil rights and community development, and we express our deep gratitude for his 45 years of profound leadership at El Valor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Gonzalez as a token of our esteem and respect for his enduring legacy of service to the people of Illinois.