HR0357 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0357 LRB098 12110 MST 45959 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto, having served the community of Little Village, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois, was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for North America on April 15, 2013; and

WHEREAS, The Goldman Environmental Prize, established in 1989, is an honor given annually to grassroots activists around the world who demonstrate courage and commitment to protect the natural environment; and

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto is the first Illinois recipient of the Global Environmental Prize in the history of the award; and

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto worked for over a decade to retire the Fisk and Crawford coal-fired power plants and bring environmental justice to her community; and

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto, a life-long resident of the southwest side of Chicago, began her community activism when her son Anthony had his first asthma attack; and

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto served as a community organizer for the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, educating her fellow community members about the health and pollution concerns of Little Village; and

WHEREAS, Proving herself as a leader, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto was appointed executive director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, and the Chicago Clean Power Coalition were able to build support in their community and across Chicago for the city to take action on coal-fired power plants; and

WHEREAS, With additional leadership from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the coal-fired plants were retired in September 2012; and

WHEREAS, Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto continues her work to strengthen and improve the health of her community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize and congratulate Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto for winning the Goldman Environmental Prize, and for her dedicated service to the residents of Little Village, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Kimberly Wasserman-Nieto as an expression of our esteem and respect.