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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Mujeres Latinas en Accion (Mujeres) is the oldest
3Latina serving organization in the nation; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Mujeres was founded in 1973 in response to a
5Latina Leadership conference, La Mujer Despierta, held in
6Chicago; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Mujeres is celebrating its 40th anniversary in
82013; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Mujeres has been dedicated for 40 years to
10empowering Latinas and their families; the organization, based
11in Pilsen, is non-profit and has national influence; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Mujeres Latinas en Accion empowers Latinas by
13providing services which reflect their values and culture and
14being an advocate on the issues that make a difference in their
15live; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In the past year alone, Mujeres Latinas en Accion
17served 10,671 people in direct services, a 26% increase since
18fiscal year 2011; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Mujeres has received national recognition as the

 

 

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1leading community-based organization in providing culturally
2proficient services in the areas of domestic violence, sexual
3assault, parent support, homelessness prevention, youth
4development, and Latina leadership; and
 
5    WHEREAS, One in 4 Latinas will become victims of domestic
6violence, Mujeres' nationally-recognized Domestic Violence
7Program was established in 1981 and serves more than 1,000
8individuals annually through one office in Chicago and a
9suburban office in North Riverside; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Latinas in the U.S. are the fastest growing
11segment among entrepreneurs even as the economy continues to
12struggle; nearly one million businesses in the U.S. are owned
13by Latinas (almost 40 percent of all Hispanic owned businesses)
14generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually;
15Latinas are opening businesses at 6 times the national average;
16in response to this trend, Mujeres created a new
17microenterprise program called Empresarias del Futuro; and
 
18    WHEREAS, During Mujeres' most recently completed fiscal
19year, members of the Latina Leadership Program helped the
20organization reach and naturalize 1,346 new citizens; during
21the midterm elections, Mujeres leaders were active in
22registering 346 new voters and mobilizing 2,485 voters to the
23polls in 17 precincts and 3 ward; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we applaud and honor Mujeres Latinas en Accion for 40 years of
4dedicated service; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to Mujeres Latinas en Accion (Mujeres) as a symbol of
7our respect and esteem.