HR0482 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0482 LRB103 35009 ECR 64932 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Aurora City Council Alderperson Scheketa Hart-Burns of Ward 7, who passed away on June 19, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns was a graduate of Edison College; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns became the first African American elected to the Aurora City Council in 1991, and she was later the first-ever African American to serve as mayor pro tempore, holding the position from 2016 to 2017; she served as chairperson of the Public Health, Safety, and Transportation Committee, a member of the Finance Committee, and an alternate for the Buildings, Grounds & Infrastructure Committee; and

WHEREAS, For Ward 7 residents, Ald. Hart-Burns launched dozens of organizations and initiatives for Ward 7 residents, including the 7th Ward Committee, the Eastwood Tenant Council, the Forest Ridge Tenant Council, the Inner Circle Neighbor Group, the Maple Terrace Tenant Council, the Taking Back Our Community organization, and community gardens in and annual holiday programs for Forest Ridge and Eastwood; and

WHEREAS, For the City of Aurora, Ald. Hart-Burns established the annual citywide Black history program, the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon celebration, and the annual Black and Latino American history programs at Metea High School and Cowherd Middle School; she also designated commemorative street signs for prominent African American residents, and she hosted annual holiday musicals for the Interfaith Food Pantry and the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry and holiday dinners for senior citizens and disabled persons; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns supported and created many youth initiatives, including founding the Back to School Bash at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park to bring together more than 5,000 youth and families to start the new school year and the Project Unity Back to School Fair to provide back-to-school supplies, free services, and information to thousands of families; she co-founded the annual Coats-for-Kids Drive to provide winter clothing to thousands of students in need and the City of Aurora's STEAM Academy to provide enrichment activities to more than 700 local youth in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art, and math; she was a founding advisor and mother emeritus of the mentoring group Boys II Men, Inc., and she also served as a mentor to Aurora University students seeking advanced degrees in the social work program; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns belonged to numerous organizations, including serving as chairperson of the Circle of Wise Women for the Kane County Health Department, chairperson of the Weed and Seed Program with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, a 33-year board member and advisor of the Quad County Urban League, a founding advisor for the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and a board member of the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry and Childcare Center; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns was the namesake of the Scheketa Hart-Burns Phenomenal Woman Achievement Award, an honor presented annually to more than 100 young women in Aurora by Boys II Men, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns was an evangelist missionary at Greater Mt. Olive Church of God in Christ (COGIC); and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns will be remembered as a public servant who blazed an impactful, unforgettable, and undeniable trail of excellence in service and advocacy for more than 30 years; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns was preceded in death by her children, Malik Hart and Ahmad Hart; and

WHEREAS, Ald. Hart-Burns is survived by her husband, William F. Burns, and her children, Kehinde Hart, Hakim Hart, Amina Hart, Michael Burns, Vernon Burns, and Arvin Burns; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Aurora City Council Alderperson Scheketa Hart-Burns and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ald. Hart-Burns as an expression of our deepest sympathy.