Full Text of SR2284 100th General Assembly
SR2284 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Brian Sleet of Chicago, who passed away | 4 | | on December 26, 2018 at the age of 41; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Brian Sleet was born and raised in Chicago's | 6 | | Chatham neighborhood and was committed to his community and to | 7 | | public service; he graduated from Whitney Young High School in | 8 | | 1996; he earned a degree in Sociology from Dartmouth College in | 9 | | 2000; in 2005, he earned his Juris Doctor from the University | 10 | | of Illinois; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Brian Sleet returned to Chatham after college and | 12 | | spent time teaching at a neighborhood elementary school; he | 13 | | began his political career at the U.S. Census Bureau and as a | 14 | | staffer for former Representative Jesse Jackson Jr.; he also | 15 | | practiced independently as an attorney, mainly on family law | 16 | | cases; in 2011, he ran for alderman in the 6th Ward; during | 17 | | that race, he developed a friendship with Alderman Roderick | 18 | | Sawyer, who started as his competitor but evolved into a close | 19 | | ally; he joined Sawyer's campaign during the runoff, and, after | 20 | | Sawyer won the post, he was appointed chief of staff; in 2015, | 21 | | he helped get Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx elected; | 22 | | recently, he worked as a senior adviser with the communications | 23 | | strategy firm, Kivvit, where he was a spokesman for the Obama |
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| 1 | | Foundation as it sought City Council approval for the planned | 2 | | presidential library in Jackson Park; earlier this year, he | 3 | | also started his own consulting agency and worked to help | 4 | | connect corporate clients with grass-roots leaders; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Brian Sleet's pride and joy was serving on the | 6 | | board of Chicago Votes; outside his City Hall work, he enjoyed | 7 | | long conversations over a glass of bourbon and a fine cigar; | 8 | | and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Brian Sleet was committed to improving the quality | 10 | | of life for people on the South Side and across the City of | 11 | | Chicago and to training young black organizers and political | 12 | | operatives; he was known as a forthright, well-connected | 13 | | strategist who would toil relentlessly to help candidates | 14 | | connect with marginalized communities in new and innovative | 15 | | ways; his keen political mind, speechwriting savvy, and mastery | 16 | | of social media meant anybody running for elected office wanted | 17 | | his advice; news of his death led to an outpouring of | 18 | | condolences from elected leaders, community activists, and | 19 | | neighbors, prompting the creation and prominence of the | 20 | | #SleetisChicago hashtag; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, Brian Sleet is survived by his fiancee, Nathalie | 22 | | Essex; his parents; his brother; and his large extended family; | 23 | | therefore, be it
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | 2 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 3 | | Brian Sleet and extend our sincere condolences to his family, | 4 | | friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
| 5 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 6 | | presented to the family of Brian Sleet as an expression of our | 7 | | deepest sympathy.
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