SR0250 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0250 LRB097 12095 GRL 55963 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The United Nations has designated the year 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent to strengthen national actions and regional and international cooperation to ensure that people of African descent fully enjoy economic, cultural, social, civil, political, and human rights, as well as advance their integration into these aspects of society and promote a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture; and

WHEREAS, The African Diaspora, during which four million Africans were forced to migrate to the Western Hemisphere as part of the slave trade, created permanent ties between the people of Africa and the people of America; and

WHEREAS, People of African descent worldwide have endured the challenges of segregation and inequality and still face discrimination to this day; and

WHEREAS, Overcoming these obstacles, people of African descent have made profound contributions to science and technology, education, independence and civil rights movements, agriculture, language, cuisine, culture, and the arts; and

WHEREAS, The current economic crisis disproportionately threatens access to employment, affordable food and housing, health care, education, and criminal and environmental justice for people of African descent and other minority communities; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the United Nations Declaration of 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we celebrate the unique contributions of people of African descent to the culture of the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we state our intent to continue our work of improving access to justice, human rights, political institutions, employment, housing, health care, civil rights, education, and environmental justice for people of African descent in the State of Illinois.