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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
3learn of the death of  the Rev. Dr. Lewis Flowers, who passed 
4away on December 9, 2012; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, The Rev. Dr. Flowers grew up in Chicago, in the 
6Cabrini-Green public housing complex; he served his country as 
7a member of the United States Army in Vietnam before returning 
8to Chicago, where he worked with young people as an employee of 
9Chicago Public Schools; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, The Rev. Dr. Flowers began studying for the 
11ministry in the 1970s and was ordained in 1977; he was the 
12founding pastor of the Austin Community Ministries, as well as  
13a former president of the Westside Ministers Coalition and 
14chairman of the Coalition's board; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, The Rev. Dr. Flowers was known for his battles on 
16social justice on the West Side of Chicago, particularly in the 
17Austin community; as a spokesman for the Community Reinvestment 
18Organizing Project, he requested that Mayor Rahm Emanuel 
19include Austin, which reportedly led in the number of 
20foreclosures, in the mayor's $15 million Micro-Market Recovery 
21Program; he fought to keep open the Austin Business and 
22Entrepreneurship Academy High School, one of 3 smaller schools 
 
 
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1now operating in the former Austin High School building; he was 
2heavily involved in getting the school started as a contract 
3school; his efforts also led to Chicago's designation in 1994 
4as a federal empowerment zone, a designation that brought with 
5it a total of $100 million over 2 years to promote economic 
6development and jobs in several areas of the city; and

  
 
7    WHEREAS, The Rev. Dr. Flowers is survived by his wife, 
8Cynthia; his sons, Durand, Duwone, and Elijah; his daughters, 
9Lanita Joyner and Blaire Flowers; his brothers, Victor, 
10Cornelius, and Dennis; his sisters, Lorinda Givens, Jocelyn 
11Flowers, and Aretha Johnson; his 9 grandchildren; and his 
12great-grandchild; therefore, be it
  
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL 
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 
15his family and friends, the passing of the Rev. Dr. Lewis 
16Flowers; and be it further
  
 
17    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
18presented to the family of the Rev. Dr. Lewis Flowers as an 
19expression of our sympathy.