SR0594 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0594 LRB104 20497 RMO 33970 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Rick Garcia of the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, who passed away on January 12, 2026; and

WHEREAS, Rick Garcia was a longtime Chicago LGBTQ activist and fierce organizer who spent decades fighting for equality, justice, and dignity in Illinois and beyond; known for a direct approach to activism and a focus on strategy, he played a key role in translating grassroots power into legislative wins and was at the forefront of many civil rights victories; he was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 1999; and

WHEREAS, Rick Garcia was born on September 15, 1956 in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was involved in organizing for the United Farm Workers as a young man; while attending St. Louis University, he found his voice as a gay rights advocate and joined the gay Catholic group Dignity in St. Louis; he had a deep love for the Catholic Church and worked throughout his life to make it a spiritual home for LGBTQ people; and

WHEREAS, Rick Garcia worked for the liberal gay Catholic group New Ways Ministry in Washington, D.C. before moving to Chicago in 1986; he joined the effort to pass the city's Human Rights Ordinance, which was enacted in 1988, and was a leading advocate for passage of the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance of 1993 and the expanded Illinois Human Rights Act of 2005; he was a leader in lobbying for gay marriage in Illinois, which became law in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Rick Garcia was a principal founder of the Illinois Federation for Human Rights, later renamed Equality Illinois, in 1992 and served as its public policy director; after his time with The Civil Rights Agenda, he went on to work within government, including a role with the Cook County Sheriff's Office and, most recently, the Illinois Secretary of State's Office; and

WHEREAS, Rick Garcia was a gourmet cook who loved to dance; he will be remembered for his deep sense of loyalty, his humor, and his care for his loved ones; and

WHEREAS, Rick Garcia was preceded in death by his partner of 40 years, activist Ernie Hunsperger, on April 9, 2020; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Rick Garcia 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 close friends and family of Rick Garcia as an expression of our deepest sympathy.