SR0854 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0854 LRB099 13495 MST 37438 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Sandra Annette "Sandy" Bland, who passed away on July 13, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Bland was born in Chicago on February 7, 1987 to Willie and Geneva Bland; her family later moved to Villa Park; she attended Jackson Middle School and graduated from Willowbrook High School in 2005, where she was involved in basketball, volleyball, track, color guard, and cheerleading; she attended Prairie View A&M University on a band scholarship as a skilled trombonist and was a member of The Marching Storm; in the spring of 2007, she joined Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she served as chapter President; she graduated in 2009 with a bachelor degree in agricultural food sciences; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Bland grew up in the DuPage AME Church, participating in a number of youth ministries, including the Girl Scouts, Sisters in Praise, the YPD, and Voices of Tomorrow; most recently, she worked with the Women's Day Committee; and

WHEREAS, In January of 2015, Sandy Bland introduced the hashtag #SandySpeaks to use as a platform to address societal injustices that she felt impacted her community personally; she had a genuine interest in lending a voice to the next generation; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Bland was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Sharon Needham and Emmett Reed, Sr.; her paternal grandparents, Verdine and Melvin Bland, Sr.; and her father, Willie Bland; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Bland is survived by her mother, Geneva Reed-Veal (Rick); her sisters, Shante Needham (Mickiya, Princess, Tremaine, and Denzel), Sharon Cooper (Jonathan and Natalie), Shavon Bland (Zakira, Laiana, and Egypt), and Sierra Cole (Janiyah); and a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Sandra Annette "Sandy" Bland, 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 Sandy Bland as an expression of our deepest sympathy.