West Cook News

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County Human Relations Committee met Jan. 17 to address the current political climate.

Here is the meeting's agenda, as provided by the committee:

County Commissioners are elected officials who oversee county activities and work to ensure that citizen concerns are met, federal and state requirements are fulfilled, and county operations run smoothly.

Board of Commissioners of Cook County

Human Relations Committee

Tuesday, January 17, 2017 1:45 PM Cook County Building, Board Room,

118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois

NOTICE AND AGENDA

There will be a meeting of the Committee or Subcommittee of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County at the date, time and location listed above to consider the following:

PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Authorization as a public speaker shall only be granted to those individuals who have submitted in writing, their name, address, subject matter, and organization (if any) to the Secretary 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Duly authorized public speakers shall be called upon to deliver testimony at a time specified in the meeting agenda. Authorized public speakers who are not present during the specified time for public testimony will forfeit their allotted time to speak at the meeting. Public testimony must be germane to a specific item(s) on the meeting agenda, and the testimony must not exceed three minutes; the Secretary will keep track of the time and advise when the time for public testimony has expired. Persons authorized to provide public testimony shall not use vulgar, abusive, or otherwise inappropriate language when addressing the Board; failure to act appropriately; failure to speak to an item that is germane to the meeting, or failure to adhere to the time requirements may result in expulsion from the meeting and/or disqualify the person from providing future testimony.

16-2621

COMMITTEE MINUTES

Approval of the minutes from the meeting of 12/15/2015

17-0724

Sponsored by: JESÚS G. GARCÍA, LUIS ARROYO JR, BRIDGET GAINER and STANLEY

MOORE, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

COOK COUNTY UNITY

WHEREAS, Cook County is home to over one million immigrants from all over the world; and

WHEREAS, Cook County has benefitted culturally, socially and economically from the diversity of its residents; and

WHEREAS, the national political climate has produced fear and anxiety among many Cook County residents, particularly among people of color, immigrants, Muslims, Jews, and members of the LGBTQ community; and

WHEREAS, health care providers and mental health experts have reported that frequently marginalized youth, LGBTQ and gender non-conforming youth, refugee/immigrant children and youth are experiencing significant distress as a result of the national discourse; and

WHEREAS, calls to mental health hot lines increased 200% in Illinois post-election with immigrants reporting anxiety and hopelessness due to fears of deportation for themselves or members of their communities; and

WHEREAS, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and all other forms of hate have no place in Cook County; and

WHEREAS, resolution 07-R-240 declared Cook County a Fair and Equal County for Immigrants ensuring equal access to essential benefits and opportunities; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we reaffirm our commitment to being a Fair and Equal County for all immigrants, refugees, and their families; and will energetically oppose any efforts that conflict with those values or reverse critical protections to immigrants, refugees, and their families; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will continue to honor and protect the rights of all residents, regardless of race, ethnicity, country of origin, religion, age, immigration status, criminal record, sexual orientation, and gender identity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will never waver on our commitment to ensuring women's rights in healthcare, in the workplace, in the home, and in the streets; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we remain deeply committed to religious freedom, and oppose any discriminatory treatment or persecution on the basis of faith; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we honor the rights of all individuals within the LGBTQ community to live without fear of discrimination or harassment; and we will support all of the progress we have made as a society in advancing LGBTQ rights; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, we will continue our commitment to address the over-incarceration of Black and Brown communities and reducing the number of individuals in the criminal justice, juvenile justice, and immigrant detention systems, while reinvesting the resulting savings to address acute education, healthcare, employment, housing, minority-owned small business development and environmental needs in the communities most affected; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will continue to stand up for the needs of Cook County’s lowincome and working families, and will oppose efforts that jeopardize the well-being of these families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we are committed to addressing the effects of environmental degradation and climate change, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will oppose any efforts that compromise the safety or well-being of Cook County residents; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call on all Cook County residents to stand united in defense of our common values and each other’s civil and human rights so that we can protect and expand upon that which makes this County great.

Legislative History: 12/14/16 - Board of Commissioners - refer to the Human Relations Committee