HR0957 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize John Chester of Chicago on the occasion of his retirement; and

WHEREAS, John Chester has been a key player in the political and organizational development of Chicago's gay and lesbian community for almost 30 years; a native of Detroit, he is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a telecommunications specialist by profession; and

WHEREAS, Chester's first Chicago involvement was with the Uptown Center of Hull House; it was there that he learned how to adapt his considerable administrative skills and organizational abilities to best advantage within a not for profit business environment; he chaired the Uptown Housing Committee, working to combat redlining and develop decent low income housing along the lakefront; as an offshoot of this and to help the working poor to establish credit, Chester founded and served as the president of the Northside Community Federal Credit Union; and

WHEREAS, Chester was a founding board member of the Crossroads Fund, also serving thereon as a gay/lesbian community representative; he later served as a board member and vice president of Dignity/Chicago during the period in which the organization opened a permanent office; as a board member and president of the Rodde Fund, he prompted the development of the group's organizational infrastructure; he also served as a board member and chair of Chicago House at a pivotal time in this highly respected AIDS housing provider's organizational evolution; and

WHEREAS, His first love, however, has always been politics; in 1971, Chester joined Illinois Gays for Legislative Action to work on an early version of what would later become Chicago's human rights ordinance; in 1973, he was a founding member of the Gay Rights Task Force of the Alliance To End Repression, which became the Illinois Gay Rights (now Gay and Lesbian) Task Force; in 1977, he became co-chairperson of the IGRTF's State bill project, remaining actively involved until 1983; during the early 1980s, Chester was the president of OPEN (Organization Promoting Equality Now), Chicago's first gay and lesbian political action committee; he is currently the president of the Illinois Federation for Human Rights Political Action Committee, and he serves on the boards of directors of Personal PAC, which supports "pro choice" candidates for office, and Illinois Public Action, which promotes utility and health care reform; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Chester has been highly visible in his support of and work for many individual candidates for public office; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate John Chester on his well deserved retirement and wish him good health and happiness in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to John Chester as a token of our respect and esteem.