| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
3 | Representatives are pleased to honor Stella Foster, author of | ||||||
4 | "Stella's Column" in the Chicago Sun-Times, for her work in | ||||||
5 | journalism; and
| ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, "Stella's Column," which debuted in the Chicago | ||||||
7 | Sun-Times on December 2, 2003, is one of the newspaper's most | ||||||
8 | popular columns; it's popularity is a testimony to it's writer, | ||||||
9 | Chicago journalist Stella Foster, who has enjoyed a career as a | ||||||
10 | writer, broadcaster, and as the long-time assistant to the late | ||||||
11 | Irv Kupcinet; "Stella's Column," which runs every Tuesday and | ||||||
12 | Thursday, reflects Stella's personality, zest for life, | ||||||
13 | compassion, and love of people; and
| ||||||
14 | WHEREAS, The column is multiethnic, multigenerational, and | ||||||
15 | covers a broad interest base; it also publicizes charitable | ||||||
16 | events, particularly those that benefit causes that are close | ||||||
17 | to Stella's heart, like child abuse, teenage pregnancy, and | ||||||
18 | women's issues; and | ||||||
19 | WHEREAS, Her current status as a highly-respected | ||||||
20 | journalist began in August of 1969 when her sister told her | ||||||
21 | that the legendary Irv Kupcinet was looking for a new | ||||||
22 | secretary; she interviewed for the position and was hired; and
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | WHEREAS, For 34 years, Stella was Kup's assistant, | ||||||
2 | confidante, organizer, and the glue that kept the column alive | ||||||
3 | and vibrant; her writing career was officially launched in the | ||||||
4 | mid 1980s, when her brother-in-law approached her about writing | ||||||
5 | for Sister 2 Sister, a national entertainment magazine; without | ||||||
6 | the benefit of formal journalistic training, she penned the | ||||||
7 | monthly entertainment column titled "Starlights by Stella" | ||||||
8 | that featured celebrity news; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, When the Sun Times' editorial page featured | ||||||
10 | Personal Views, Stella contributed and expounded on a variety | ||||||
11 | of topics that piqued readers' curiosity and elicited diverse | ||||||
12 | opinions; she took her "act" to television when Fox News | ||||||
13 | approached her about being a morning commentator; the weekly | ||||||
14 | segment, titled, "Stella Sez," featured a mix of newsy nuggets | ||||||
15 | that captivated viewers during the year it was on the air; and | ||||||
16 | WHEREAS, As Kup began to age, his health began to | ||||||
17 | deteriorate and he was in the office less frequently; to keep | ||||||
18 | the column alive, Stella began assuming the bulk of the writing | ||||||
19 | duties; the Sun Times recognized her contribution by giving her | ||||||
20 | a byline at the end of the column, and eventually gave her | ||||||
21 | co-writing credits; when Kup died on November 10, 2003, Stella | ||||||
22 | was widely heralded as one of the women behind his success; and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | WHEREAS, She is a humanitarian who promotes organizations | ||||||
2 | whose missions parallel causes that are dear to her heart; she | ||||||
3 | uses the power and pull of her column to galvanize her readers | ||||||
4 | and friends around these issues; she has been profiled in | ||||||
5 | Chicago Magazine, Today's Chicago Woman, N'Digo Magapaper, | ||||||
6 | Rolling Out, and the Chicago Defender; and | ||||||
7 | WHEREAS, She is the recipient of numerous awards including | ||||||
8 | the "Promises Fulfilled Award" from South Central Community | ||||||
9 | Services, a Communications Award from the 100 Black Men of | ||||||
10 | Chicago, the Archibald Motley Excellence in Arts Award from the | ||||||
11 | Englewood Committee, Mt. Sinai's Parenting Institute's African | ||||||
12 | Village Award, the Torch for Journalism from Sigma Gamma Rho | ||||||
13 | Sorority, the "Making A Difference Award" from Rainbow PUSH | ||||||
14 | Coalition as a Woman of Distinction, the State of Illinois | ||||||
15 | African-American Media Award from the Illinois Secretary of | ||||||
16 | State's Office, the African-American History Service Award | ||||||
17 | from Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church, the A. Philip Randolph | ||||||
18 | Gentle Warrior Award, and the "Shero" Award for Career | ||||||
19 | Achievement from NABFEME; and | ||||||
20 | WHEREAS, She has been saluted by the Midwest Radio and | ||||||
21 | Music Association, hailed as a "Phenomenal Woman" by the Expo | ||||||
22 | for Today's Black Woman, and earned awards from the Chicago | ||||||
23 | Black Public Relations Society and the National Council of | ||||||
24 | Negro Women; she was also presented the Irv Kupcinet Media |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Giant Award, named in honor of her late friend and mentor; and
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, She is a member of the Chicago Association of | ||||||
3 | Black Journalists, the Association of Women Journalists, the | ||||||
4 | Press Club, the Chicago Journalists Association, and the | ||||||
5 | Chicago Press Veterans; she has appeared on WVON, and has been | ||||||
6 | a guest on numerous other media outlets; she enjoys reading, | ||||||
7 | watching television, dancing, and listening to rhythm and | ||||||
8 | blues; she also enjoys downtime with her family, whom she | ||||||
9 | values and cherishes; therefore, be it
| ||||||
10 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
11 | NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
12 | we honor Stella Foster for her hard work in journalism and the | ||||||
13 | value she has brought to the City of Chicago and the State of | ||||||
14 | Illinois; and be it further
| ||||||
15 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
16 | presented to Stella Foster as a symbol of our respect and | ||||||
17 | esteem.
|