HR0027

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate Rev. Geri Solomon 
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on the occasion of her 75th birthday; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Geri Solomon was born in Mound Bayou, Mississippi 
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and was raised in Chicago; she earned her Bachelor of Science 
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degree in Religious Education from St. Stephen's Baptist 
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College in Los Angeles, California and was ordained in 1977; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, From 1979 to 1987, Rev. Geri Solomon served as 
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Executive Director of the "WE THE PEOPLE" program for the 
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needy, where she was responsible for the operation of food 
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pantries, shelters, and clothing and transportation programs; 
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she has been an advocate for the homeless for over 15 years, 
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serving their needs in St. Paul, Minnesota, Los Angeles, 
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California, Chicago, and Aurora; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon has been an active participant 
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in various social movements, including the civil rights 
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movement, peace movements, anti-war movements, and the fight 
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for the ratification of the ERA; in furtherance of her numerous 
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causes, she has marched on Washington, D.C. and other American 
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cities and counties 31 times from 1954 to 1988; in 1963, she 
 


 






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helped organize Chicago's West Side for Dr. Martin Luther 
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King's March on Washington;  from 1996 to 1997, she participated 
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in Aurora's City-Wide Peace Coalition, a group dedicated to 
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creating an agenda of peace in the City of Aurora; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon has been an active participant 
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in local and national politics; in 1984, she actively worked 
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with Minnesota's A.M.E. church to elect the Reverend Jesse 
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Jackson President of the United States; she also served as a 
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Democratic precinct captain in St. Paul, Minnesota and was the 
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first black woman to chair a State-wide presidential campaign, 
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having worked for Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich during 
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his 2004 Presidential bid; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon currently serves as pastor at 
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Temple of Wisdom Evangelistic Ministries; she is the Founder 
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and Executive Director of the Inner-City Advocates for the 
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Homeless, a homeless program that operates day shelters for 
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women and children; she is also president and co-founder of the 
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Midwest Evangelistic Team, an evangelistic team organized to 
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unify efforts in soul-winning throughout the Midwest; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon has been the recipient of 
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numerous awards for her work with the homeless; in 1983, she 
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was the recipient of a "11 Who Care" Award from NBC Channel 11; 
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that same year, she received a medallion from Jackie Kennedy 
 


 






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Onassis for her work with the needy; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1996, Rev. Geri Solomon wrote and published 
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"Soul Winner's Handbook", a book about everyday evangelism that 
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can be done by everyone; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rev. Geri Solomon is a member of the Mount Olive 
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Church of God in Christ; she is the mother of four girls and 
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two boys; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Rev. Geri Solomon on the occasion of her 75th 
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birthday and wish her many more happy and healthy years to 
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come; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Rev. Geri Solomon as a symbol of our esteem and 
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respect.