The meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners will come to order.

Commissioners, we need you.

Commissioners, we need you.

Could we ask commissioners to come into the chamber, please?

He's outside the door taking a picture.

Can we send somebody to get the question?

Yeah, we do.

We send someone to get uh Britton, Laurie, and Scott.

Okay, we're ready, ma'am.

We're ready now.

Commissioner McCasco is walking in.

All right, will the clerk please call the roll?

Commissioner Aguilar.

Commissioner Aguilar.

Commissioner Aguilar absent.

Commissioner Naya.

Present.

Commissioner Britton.

Commissioner Britton, absent.

Commissioner Daly.

Commissioner Degnan.

Commissioner Gaynor.

Commissioner Gaynor, absent.

Commissioner Laurie.

Commissioner Laurie absent.

Commissioner McCaskill.

Commissioner Miller.

Miller present.

Commissioner Moore.

Present.

Commissioner Merida.

Commissioner Marita absent.

Commissioner Kevin Morrison.

Commissioner Sean Morrison excused absence.

Commissioner Scott?

Present.

Commissioner Stamps.

Present.

Commissioner Trevor.

Here.

Commissioner Vasquez.

Madam President, you have a quorum.

Maybe please be added to the role.

Commissioner Britton.

Thank you.

Uh Commissioner Gaynor has requested to join us remotely, although she is not committed.

She's not connected now.

All right.

When she gets connected, we'll address the question.

Yes, ma'am.

All right.

Commissioner Moore.

Okay.

Commissioner Dagnan.

Yeah.

Can we read our land acknowledgement?

I would be honored.

Thank you.

Cook County resides on lands that have been home to indigenous people for thousands of years.

The Potawatomi, the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and dozens of nations were the custodians and caretakers of this land for centuries before European colonization.

Truth and acknowledgement are critical to building understanding and mutual respect across all cultures, traditions, and heritages.

By reading this statement, Cook County recognizing recognizes the past wrongdoings as well as present harm upon people, tribal lands, and governments.

With this land acknowledgement, Cook County commits to learning more about and doing better to support the county's native and indigenous residents as we work towards equity for all of Cook County.

You're welcome.

Commissioner Marita and Commissioner Lowry as well to the role.

Madam Secretary, could you please outline the public speaking process?

Thank you, ma'am.

Members of the public who wish to testify have up until 24 hours before the scheduled start of the meeting.

Speakers will have three minutes to address the body and be and will be alerted when they have one minute remaining, 30 seconds remain, and when time has expired.

Translation services are available for this meeting.

If you need assistance, please put forth a request in the Teams chat or see a staff member in the boardroom.

Persons authorized to provide public testimony shall not use vulgar, abusive, discriminatory, profane, or otherwise inappropriate language when addressing the body.

Failure to act appropriately or failure to adhere to the time requirements may result in expulsion from the meeting and or disqualify the person from providing future testimony.

Written only comments provided prior to the start of the board meeting will be made part of the electronic meeting record.

Those in the room that have registered, pre-registered, Sylvia Davis.

Sylvia, are you here?

Sylvia, please stand over by the sheriff's the public speaking mic, followed by Eddie Ingalls.

Eddie, are you in the room?

Eddie Ingalls.

Then Letitia Saunders.

Letitia Saunders, are you here?

Yes.

Stand by the sheriff.

Then Owanda Drummer.

Thank you.

In that order.

Sylvia, please begin.

On behalf of Dana Drummer, President, and members of Zeta TaZeta chapter of Zeta Fibeta Sorority Incorporated, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Cook County Board for this special recognition commemorating our 60th anniversary.

We are deeply honored to receive this accommodation and appreciate the board's acknowledgement of six decades of service, scholarship, sisterhood, and final womanhood within Cook County and beyond.

For 60 years, Zeta TaZeta chapter has remained committed to uplifting communities through educational initiatives, youth development, programs, civic engagement, health awareness efforts, and service to those in need.

This recognition affirms the value of community partnerships and collective impact that can be achieved when organizations and local government work together to improve the lives of others.

We proudly accept this honor on behalf of the visionary women who chartered our chapter in 1966, four of which are still in the chapter today.

The dedicated members who have carried our mission forward throughout the years and the future generations who will continue our legacy of service.

As we celebrate this diamond anniversary milestone, we remain steadfast in our commitment to being a positive force within Cook County and to exemplify the principles of our beloved sorority, scholarship, service, sisterhood, and final womanhood.

Thank you to the Cook County Board for this meaningful recognition for your continued service to our communities and for us help and for helping us celebrate this historic occasion.

We are grateful, humbled, and inspired to continue the work that has defined Zeta Ta-Zeta chapter for these past 60 years.

Thank you, and may we continue to work together in service to our communities.

God bless you all.

Thank you.

Eddie Ingalls.

Eddie Ingalls is not here.

So Letitia Saunders is next, followed by Kawanda Drummer.

You may begin.

Good day.

Madam President, Board of Commissioners, fellow Cook County officials, constituents, and guests.

My name is Letitia Ann Sanders, a 20-year member of Zeta Fibeta Sorority Incorporated, Zeta TaZeta Chicago graduate chapter, as well as a 21-year public service employee, nearly 10 of them here at Cook County.

On behalf of our international president, Dr.

Stacy NC Grant, our Great Lakes Regional Director, Keisha Smith, our Illinois State Director, Karen Quick, and the president of Zeta TaZeta Chapter, Dana Drummer, are 132 members ranging in their 20s to 100 years old, with four of those members of Zeta women who chartered Zeta TaZeta on June 20th, 1966, and who we lovely call the fabulous 57, Dolphin Pierce, Faye L.

Walker, Evelyn Birdsong, Dr.

L V Roan.

Just simply thank you.

As we step into 60 years of service to Cook County and the Chicago land area, we thank you for allowing us to serve, partner with your organizations, administer scholarships to deserving students, perform the aforementioned actions with our Zeta Amicai of Chicago Auxiliary, with Amicai being Latin for friend, and the word and mentor 30 youth through our Zeta Youth Affiliates Auxiliaries and answer the call to social action and justice within our community for 60 years as the longest serving Zeta Fibeta graduate chapter in the state of Illinois.

Additional thanks to Commissioner Dr.

Keisha McCaskill and her staff for supporting Resolution 26-1729, commemorating our Charter Day, which was actually next Saturday, which we will celebrate in grand fashion with proceeds going to scholarships at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

We hope that the body of the board and the community will connect with us so that we can continue a lifetime of uninterrupted action promoting scholarship, sisterhood, and service in finer fashion.

Please visit us at WWW dot zeta tauzeta chicago.org that Z E T A T A U Z A T A C H I C A G O dot O R G for more information.

Thank you.

Next speaker, Ms.

Drummer.

Madam Secretary, would you please add Commissioner Gaynor to the role?

Yes, ma'am.

Readings to the entire phenomenal, Cook County Commissioner Work.

In support of resolution 26-1722.

I read the following.

And tell us your name again.

Oh, thank you.

Sorry.

No problem.

I interrupted you, please begin.

I read to you the following.

Dear God, please skip me out of here.

I can't take it anymore.

When I get out, I promise I'll be good.

This is the prayer of a little girl growing up in Chicago's Robert Taylor, and then when we're gardens, housing projects.

She only knew violence, trauma, despair, tossed aside, ignored and forgotten.

She didn't stand a chance against a lifetime of physical and emotional violence with no offers of help.

This little girl is and was me.

I am attorney, quandra drummer.

I represent Willow James and her family.

And today I speak in acknowledgement of my lifelong pain as a domestic violence survivor.

I speak to you on behalf of Chevelo and Nicholson, Willow's mom, who suffered unimaginable horrors as a child, on behalf of William James, her dad who continues to fight the clouds in the sky, trying to get justice for Willow, on behalf of her entire family, who's lived an ongoing year-long funeral, grieving over a willow who no longer exists.

Finally, I speak for a Phoenix who's risen from the ashes, a bubbly, beautiful, bold, bright light, Willow, who's had to say farewell to her dreams and aspirations due to gun violence.

However, she's a fighter.

She's a new willow.

She's Willow 2.0.

Moments after being shot in the head, she cried and begged.

I don't want to die.

I need to tell my mom what color I want to wear at my funeral.

Across the city, county, state, and country, they're hurting families, more specifically hurting children who are not able to process trauma or the days that follow.

My heart goes out to those families.

I imagine their pain is similar to Willow's mom shoveling, watching in despair as I clean their family car with my children's clothes and water.

And she cried and watched.

I imagine those other families feel forgotten, left out, just as Willow family does to promises and support never delivered, or resources that are just not available yet for children.

Willow was shot in the head and she lived.

She's the face of a miracle.

She represents tenacious determined children who want to live.

One minute.

Today's momentous because it sets the presidential foundation for others to follow.

Please help me and others, like Madam Commissioner Dr.

McCaskill, to provide auspicious futures, dimestrically opposed to the horror, shame, and violence children are sometimes used to.

Willow's now ready to get to work to help other kids get resources, fund support centers and kid groups.

W I L L O.

Six special letters.

For the next six seconds, can everyone say aloud anyone lost the violence and specifically the children who remain hurt as a result?

Arthur Phillips, Tyler, Michelle Pearson, Rikia Jackson.

Please help us.

Help hurting kids as Willow wants to help them.

Thank you so very much.

We appreciate you.

Now I walk in speakers.

I don't see them in the room.

Taiwan Sims, Jessica Jackson, and Mr.

George Blakemore.

We are concluded with speaking after George Blakemore.

I'm going to respond to what one of the commissioners said to me, two face.

I guess got one thing.

And it's black.

I got one type of hair.

And it's nappy.

And I'm speaking about the myth education of the black man and woman.

The myth uh uh appropriation of a fund when we have black faces in high places, uh commissioners, and we have a black cocana board and a black mayor, and we have black altamans and representatives.

Go to the ghetto.

Go to the ghetto.

And you don't see black business.

Somewhere we are disconnected.

We're in America.

And the golden rule is he who has the goal rules.

We have become a consumer.

Well, we buy from everybody, but we don't sell to nobody.

So I got one face.

And and and that nappy hair, and I'm black, and my job as a black man, an old black man, eighty-four years old.

Oh, awake my people.

We we're great people.

We had black wall streets.

We had business, we had banks, we had excellent schools, we had service station cleaners.

Black Wall Street in the city of Chicago in Memphis and then Fort Worth, Texas, and then toss all of black people exhale.

Black people have gotten too low down.

We have all these black faces in high places selling black people out.

We don't need any more elected officials.

Other ethnic group, you don't see a lot of Jews, uh a lot uh uh right here, uh elected officials.

Well what do they have?

They got money.

One minute.

They got money, they got business.

We even in our schools they have gone down.

We have Paul Laws, Dunbar school in Washington, DC.

Excel bell is in the white schools.

So every black community have a dumb bar school.

Our people are great people, but we have dropped the ball.

We got these black faces in high places selling black people out.

I got one face.

Ma'am, that concludes our list of speakers for this meeting.

Thank you.

I want to add the following people with roll.

Commissioner Aguilar, Commissioner Marita, Commissioner Lowry, and Commissioner Gaynor.

Chair, would you uh move remote participants?

So move in president.

Second.

Roll call, please.

Commissioner Aguilar.

I Commissioner Naya, Commissioner Britton, Commissioner Daly.

Aye, Commissioner Dugnan.

Aye, Commissioner Gaynor.

Commissioner Gaynor absent.

Commissioner Lowry.

Aye.

Commissioner McCaskill.

Commissioner Miller.

Commissioner Moore.

Commissioner Marita.

Aye.

Commissioner Kevin Morrison.

Kevin Morris and I.

Commissioner Sean Morrison, excused absence.

Commissioner Scott.

Aye.

Commissioner Stamps.

Aye.

Commissioner Trevor.

Aye.

Commissioner Vasquez.

Aye.

Madam President, you have 15 years and two absents.

Please call Commissioner Gaynor again.

She is connected.

I'm sorry, Commissioner Gaynor, your vote, please.

Thank you.

Still touch time as Commissioner Gaynor joins us.

We will have voice vote.

Okay.

All right.

Kevin Morrison.

Thank you, Madam President.

I motion to approve the entire consent calendar.

Pursuant to Section 2-107H3, the consent calendar agenda.

Each commissioner will be limited to two consent resolutions per meeting.

And I would ask that you offer a brief summary, no more than two minutes of your celebratory resolution.

Commissioners will be called on in order of seniority.

All right.

All right.

We're going to begin with Commissioner Moore.

Ten years ago, my father came down with prostate cancer.

And uh he was seeking treatment at a very prominent hospital in Chicago.

And when I got involved, um I felt as if they weren't they weren't taking his cancer very seriously.

Um I struggle with getting appointments.

I struggle with meeting with doctors.

I struggle with getting assistance in helping my father through this this grave uh disease.

And then came a living angel, an actual living angel.

And her name is Didi Smith, Deedra Smith.

Everybody give her a round of applause, please.

She came to me and she said, Commissioner, I see you struggling.

He said, Can I give you some advice?

And I said, What is it, Dee Dee?

She said, bring your father to Cook County Hospital.

And I said, to Cook County.

She said, despite what people think, we have the best doctors, we care, and we'll make a difference.

That was ten years ago.

He's still here.

For the last five to six years, they have treated him and not only treated him, but treated my mother, who came down with cancer, and came and also treated my brother.

So I ended up taking all three of them from other hospitals and bringing everyone to Cook County Health.

And under Didi, who walked me through and told me what was important and who to talk to and uh explained to me how that Cook County cares about its population and its people and how we can make a difference.

My father's PSA, and you you gentlemen who have been passing these great ordinances.

His T PSA was in a triple digits.

His PSA should be one.

Uh Cook County Health and Hospital said the most beautiful things to me.

They said, We can't save your father, but we will extend his life as if you'll think we saved him.

That's what they said.

They've done just that.

I want to thank Dr.

McKaitis, who leads our hospital.

Where do you know where he went?

He's hiding.

Dr.

McKitis, our CEO.

And Dee Dee, I extend my heartfelt thank you.

Uh I'm gonna miss you.

I hate to see you go.

I wish we could talk you out of leaving.

But she is retiring after 30 plus years of service.

So today we honor you and we say thank you.

Lee for picture.

Yeah.

Thank you, Commissioner Moore, and thank you for the kind words about the health the health system.

Um Dee Dee, on behalf of Cook County Health.

I just uh want to say thank you and congratulations.

Um I had the pleasure of actually as a physician being in uh the the division that she supported um and uh got to know her uh because of that, so I was very fortunate for that, and I was always taken with how unfailingly kind um and uh how you were always willing to help and um whether it was for leadership or uh for our staff or for patients, um that is gonna be deeply missed.

So thank you, and we wish you the best in uh your retirement.

Thank you.

Sure.

Thank you.

I just I just want to thank you.

I don't know you personally, Dee Dee, but um, you know, the the impact that we have on this world is really should be measured by the lives that we um touch and the lives that we save.

So I just want to thank you on behalf of all of the patients that you have seen, all of the family members that you have uplifted through very difficult times.

Um I also had an aunt um uh at a show in the oncology uh department.

So I I understand how much support, both mentally um and sometimes even physically, you have to give to the family member.

So congratulations on the well-deserved um retirement, and thank you for all that you did.

Thank you so much.

Um congratulate you and thank you for the yours of service to the presidents of this county.

The commissioner outlined his family, but the number of families you have helped, but also you personally, when you you're involved in this uh this helping people uh try to go work through the cancer, it affects you, and you treat your patients like family members, and that's what is the best quality about you and Cook County Hospital, all the best.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Didi, if I could, uh, as a cancer survivor, but also as chair of the health and hospitals committee for the Cook County Board.

I would like to rescind your retirement.

No, seriously, congratulations and thank you for all your your good work in your service.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Can I ask the other commissioners to join us, please?

Uh why don't we have a line down here?

Men on the end.

Did you guys we've got at least two guys on the floor?

Let's put the men on the end.

Thank you.

Yes.

Yes, go ahead.

Didi.

Um to the honorable coming up.

Uh Commissioner President Tony Pregwinkle, and to you, board commissioners.

I want to thank you, thank you, thank you.

I came from good stock.

I was a young Democrat with President John Stroger.

So we all learned from him how to be a public servant, how to give to the people and the community, and I thank you guys.

Thank you, Commissioner Moore.

All right.

Now, how are we doing on photo?

Thank you.

Sure enough.

Right here.

One more year, one here.

Thank you.

Right here, please.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Great story.

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I didn't want to vote around there.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We took Commissioner Moore's resolution out of order to accommodate Dr.

McKaitis.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

For your patience.

I think we have another request for Commissioner Yeah, Commissioner McCaskill.

If we can't present just I I would be presenting my resolutions at person.

There's one for Riley Shawter, 50th anniversary from out in uh Oak Lawn.

We congratulate them and wish you're all the best.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Commissioner.

Chair Daly.

We also have one more.

All right.

Why don't you take your second resolution, please?

Doctor, please come on up.

Today we recognize and celebrate Dr.

Joyce J.

Jones for her remarkable career and lasting impact on so many lives that she has touched.

For more than 30 years, Dr.

Jones has dedicated herself to education, mentorship, and service.

During her 14 years at Richard J.

Daly College, she inspired students not only through her expertise in biological sciences, but also through her genuine commitment to helping others succeed.

Beyond the classroom, Dr.

Jones has been a leader, researcher, mentor, and community advocate.

Whether advancing STEM education, serving through face-based initiatives, or supporting those in need through her non-for-profit work, she has always led with compassion and purpose.

Her accomplishments are impressive.

But what truly stands out is the difference that she has made in the lives of her students, her colleagues, and her community.

She has opened doors, created opportunities, encouraged countless people to believe in themselves and reach higher and higher.

Dr.

Jones, thank you for your 30 years of service.

Thank you for your commitment to the children of the Richard J.

Daly Center College and your leadership and unwavering dedication to helping others.

Your legacy would continue to inspire generations to come.

Thank you.

Please join me in.

Madam President.

So needless to say, I would like to thank you, Doctor.

School bearing my father's name is very key.

And he value value education, especially opening the technical and junior colleges, making sure, and we saw a big movement away from that.

And now we're going back, which is so important.

I congratulate the uh Cook County Health for uh joining with the uh junior colleges to making accessible jobs at Cook County Health.

Doing the training.

This is a great attribute to them.

But the he valued education and value education for all.

Thank you very much for your years of service.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Would you like to say a word or two?

Yes.

I do your dad, Richard J.

Daly, and I'm only 25 again, but I've been around the block a few times.

And uh the cancer research, I also am a uh not a survivor.

I'm a cellular molecular biologist.

I've worked in cancer research.

So I worked in Missouri for the uh National Cancer Society.

I've worked in cardiovascular research.

I've worked in cardiovascular.

Uh the years that you mentioned, I also worked at taught at Chicago State.

I taught at UIC, even at their med school, and spent over 20 plus years at the University of Missoula, okay, in Columbia.

But again, it's wonderful being at home.

And again, and I've traveled also.

I've been just got back from Kenya back in November.

I was scheduled to go to Malaysia, but the war.

But at any rate, the outreach in Chicago is on the map despite all the negativity that they're saying about us worldwide.

People still want to come to Chicago.

So I didn't come here to preach, but just want you to know that Chicago is still world class.

Okay, and we take pride in it, and I'm so proud to be part of this.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Come on, Doctor.

Thank you.

No, you get in the middle.

There we go.

Let's put the chairs back.

There we go.

Big smile right here, buddy.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Beautiful.

All right.

All right.

Commissioner McCaskill.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, board, for allowing me to go out of turn to for sake of time.

I'm going to ask the family of Willow James to meet me at the dais.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

All right, Monarch Front.

Thank you, Madam President and Board.

This resolution is recognizing the month of June as Willow James.

Okay.

As Willow James Youth Against Gun Violence Awareness Month in Cook County.

I won't read the resolution fully.

I want to tell you about Willow as a person.

Prior to being shot in May of last year, she was a world class track star.

She was a dancer, very well known throughout the AAU.

And um Pop Warner feels for her cheerleading, a um grade A student, and just an all-around good person.

She's a leader.

She has been a mentor through several different summer camps, and she has always been a pillar in the community.

When this tragedy happened, when it happened, uh when it happened, um initially we didn't think that Willow was gonna make it.

Um it was all over the news about what had happened, but I am here to tell you that here she is.

She is a living testimony.

Because we don't only we're not only asking for resolution to support the victim of the gun violence, but also the family members were joined by her code to take over.

Her cousin, because so often we forget about those that were also impacted.

Although she was not hurt at the time of the gun violence, she was in the car.

So to see her best friend, her cousin have to endure this and watch her go from being paralyzed to now she's walking, she's talking.

She's still not a hundred percent, but praise God that Willow is doing well.

So I thank the board, and I would ask that all of the board members join us because I know that our hospitals and I know that our commitment to and our dedication to making sure that our youth are protected and our communities are doing well and they're thriving.

It's because of all of you that I'm able to stand here before you and introduce this as June being Willow James Awareness Month.

Thank you.

I also want to very quickly um acknowledge the parents.

Uh because our these parents have her father especially who stopped working um during her transition time and rehabilitation to actually learn everything from the nurses and the doctors and to be a primary caregiver for his dogs and now team and her mom never stops.

Mothers never stop mothering, so and nurturing.

So I thank all of you and Willow is the result of your parenting, so thank you.

Like stand sideways.

Yeah, yeah, there you go, right there.

Okay, this one's a good idea.

Vice Chair Lowry.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam President.

Commissioner Moore.

You could come up with me, please.

So on behalf of our on behalf of our entire board, I had uh the pleasure of presenting and preparing a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Spencer League Jr.

And um the resolution will be presented in district to the family.

But we certainly wanted to speak to uh the import of Spencer's legacy today.

As vice president of Leak and Sons funeral homes, he helped families through some of their most difficult moments with compassion and with dignity.

He probably carried forward a multi-generational family legacy that became a trusted institution in Chicago's African American community.

For more than 30 years as a licensed funeral director, he served thousands of families with professionalism, care, and respect.

His impact extended beyond his profession through mentoring young men and supporting community organizations.

He was a leader who believed in creating opportunities for future generations and strengthening the communities he served.

His life reflected faith, it reflected service, generosity, and it reflected a deep commitment to helping others.

To many the leak name represented trust, stability and compassion because of leaders like Spencer Leak Jr.

His father took my mother in a hearse to the hospital in 1962 when they left placenta in her after I was born, and an ambulance would not pick her up because she was black and lived in a black community.

And it was Spencer Jr.

who comforted my family last March when we said goodbye to my 33-year-old niece, Taylor Mason.

I just want to say that the Spencer League name, the Spencer League family has been there for so many families in my community and in everyone's community.

This hits home.

He was a person that we spent many hours and many times and many days with.

And for him to leave here like he did, it just it's a wake-up call for all of us.

It's a wake-up call that we need to spend every moment that we have with our loved ones and and not take every any day for granted.

And if you would weren't going to gather, you were probably going to leaks, or if you were going to leaks, you weren't going to gatlness.

So it this is uh devastating for all of us.

And uh we're praying for his family, and we're praying for his children.

And with that, somebody who partied with him even more than me.

Donna Miller Thank you, Commissioners, both of you, and it's uh a sad day to have to say goodbye to a family friend and a family um who's aching and hurting right now.

And my family has been very close to the leak family for a long time.

Our kids all grew up together and um spent many days and nights at their house.

His wife's name is Donna.

Um, and then everyone would mix up David and Spencer, like they were the same person, which we couldn't get.

But even when Spencer Sr.

said, You do look like it could be my son.

When daddy says it, it's true.

But Spencer also held another special place in my heart, just like so many people have stories of how he comforted the family when my nephew died, and um we didn't know what to do, and my whole family was just distraught.

Who do we call?

We call Spencer, and he calmly handled everything.

My husband was out of town.

He's like, Where's David?

I'm like, I can't even talk.

We don't even know what to do.

And he sent he was out of town.

So he sent his brother over.

So the family just has been there for so many families in their time in need, and we will be there for them as they deal with this tragic loss and carry on his name.

It was an honor to see his son, at least he saw his son take the mantle in the business in a family-owned business, which he was very proud of to see his son graduate from college and then take ownership in the business.

And um so we will take this resolution to the family, and he will live through his son and his daughter and the rest of his family in and all of our hearts for such a long time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I would like to extend 19% to the lake family.

Um as outlined by Bill and Stan and uh Dan and other members, uh, they have helped people uh in the hardest part of their lives.

But and now it's our turn to help them.

Uh I heard the his son's his son uh on the WGN, and he said he's coming home from college and go and starting the business.

And the first uh person he's gonna have to bury is his dad.

That is a young man.

That is what we wish him, his sister, the entire family, our TP Sympathy.

Thank you.

Commissioner Lowry, do you have any further resolutions?

Commissioner Naya.

Uh Madam President, I will be presenting my resolutions in district.

Thank you.

Commissioner Kevin Morrison.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Um of my resolutions I'll be presenting in district.

I do have two pride resolutions, and you know, as it's Pride Month, it's worth uh remembering that pride did not start as a celebration, it started as a protest.

Uh and now with four straight years of LGBT rights uh and their support of them in decline in this nation.

It's more important than ever that uh we push support for the community forward.

Uh, but I have a special record uh resolution recognizing June 2026 as Dr.

Gregory Sarlo Pride Month.

Uh the resolution honors my dear friend Greg uh Dr.

Greg Sarlo, who just this week has entered hospice care.

Dr.

Sarlo has been a force of incredible good for the LGBTQ community.

He's recognized as a premier LGBTQ plus uh psychologist nationally.

Um his accomplishments go from uh being president of the display and library board to being the individual spearheaded, raising the pride flag in displays.

I was with him right before we came to Daily Plaza rising the pride flag uh on June 1st this year, and he's gonna leave a uh major, major gap in our community in the Northwest Suburbs.

So uh he does not know that we're naming this month after him.

Uh and I'm excited to be able to present this resolution honoring him uh tomorrow.

Um so with that I thank you all.

And then also I actually do have some incredible folks in attendance today, uh, recognizing the impactful work of the Samarthanan trust for the disabled.

Um we have two of the founders here who back in 1997 uh started this organization in India.

Uh we have uh managing trustee Dr.

Mahanatesh Kivanda Sanavar and Sagar Paramashivaya Nagesh.

Uh both these individuals in this organization were spearheaded to help disabled individuals in India uh in uh 2011.

They started a program in the United States.

Uh their work has supported uh 5300 youth and have uh uh trained them.

67% have been able to become gainfully employed.

Uh they have trained 50,000 cricketers.

Uh they've started a uh cricket program for the blind.

Uh their work is incredible, and they are going to be opening up a facility uh to continue their great work in the United States in the 15th district, and so I'm happy to honor them here today.

I'm gonna join them for a picture up in the dias with anyone who would like to join us.

Thank you so much.

Thanks a lot.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Uh we are here on behalf of Samartanam with graciously and humbly acknowledge the recognition.

Samartanam has been doing over the last 30 years a lot of work in India, over 50,000 blind and visually impaired people is what we've been helping.

Uh we have presence across India and now in the US.

And uh starting out here with Chicago, and we are hoping to replicate the success of helping visually impaired and disabled individuals, young people, to get better lives and become taxpayers rather than being a liability.

And that is the goal and vision of Samartanam USA, and we look forward to taking that forward.

And uh of course, we are recognized as a charity here, and I would just request uh Mahantesh, our founder to just say a few lines one second.

Thank you.

Uh other sir.

Others uh is the grandson of our uh second Prime Minister of India.

So Samartanam USA is committed to uh work towards empowering persons with uh blindness and disability and work closely with the Indian uh Samartanam with uh all of you with your support who would like to do our bit here, and we are a registered 501c3 organization for the last 15 years, and last year with a lot of support from many of uh people here in Chicago, Mr.

Ajit Singji and uh many of them supported us to build American blind girls team to participate in the inaugural World Cup cricket for the blind.

So I feel very proud that we could do that.

In India, cricket is uh religion, it is uh uh force to unite and uh cricket can do a lot.

Whatever I am and my friend Shalindra today, it's all because of cricket.

So what we got, we thought our friends in the US also should get.

With that objective, we are uh uh here, and we would be taking this to the next level and also work closely in technology, health, and many aspects and a lot of commonalities between India and uh United States of America.

So we want to further strengthen it in disability space also.

Once again, uh I would like to acknowledge with a lot of uh humility kind of recognition is shown on us thanks to uh Kevin Madison and the entire uh county.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

All right.

Got ourselves together here for our picture.

Could I ask people to turn toward the middle and scrunch up a little bit?

There we go.

Thank you.

Right here, big crown, everyone over here.

Thank you, thank you.

Yeah, nice to see you guys.

Thank you so much for us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Miller.

Thank you, madam president.

I'll be presenting my resolutions in district.

Thank you.

Commissioner Aguilar.

Yeah, but you madam chair, Madam President.

Today I'm honored to recognize and celebrate the North Lawndale College Prep Boys Track Team for historic season.

A historic season and extraordinary achievement that has made our entire community proud.

This remarkable team has captured the IHSA class 1A sectional championship, qualified 14 student athletes for state finals, earn more than 120 medals, and set multiple school rec records.

Their accomplishment.

What has made their achievement even more inspiring is the journey behind it.

These young men kept they accomplished all of this without having their own track facility.

While many schools train in a dedicated athletic facility, they found ways to prepare however they could, participating in hallways, adapting to challenges, and remaining committed to their goal.

They refuse to allow the limited resources to limit their potential.

Instead, they're trying they transform their adversity into motivation and obstacles into opportunities.

Serves as a powerful reminder that greatness is not defined by circumstances, but by perseverance, discipline, teamwork, and determination.

We also recognize their coaches, families, teachers, supports, guidance, encouragement, dedication, and making in making this achievement possible.

Your investment in these young people has a lasting impact on both them on the field and off the field.

This team not only represented their school with distinction, but has also inspired the entire community through their resilience and commitment to excellence.

Their accomplishments demonstrates what can happen when talent is matched with hard work and unwavering belief.

On behalf of the residents in the second county district of Cook County and the Board of Commissioners, we want to congratulate them on their well-deserved recognition.

And their principal, Miss Bradley.

And she has become such a uh marvelous staple of leadership in the North Lawndale community.

So we congratulate all of them.

Congratulations.

Very proud of you all.

I read about the circumstances under which you all trained and succeeded.

So I just cannot help but as a veteran teacher imagine what more is possible when you all are invested in the way you should be.

I thought you were one of one of them.

She must run a 200.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I'm the principal.

Yeah, thank you.

Commissioner Stamps.

Okay.

The first, I have two resolutions.

Um the prevention of elder abuse month.

And I wanted to uh bring awareness to this issue, because according to the National Center of Elder Abuse, one in ten Americans aged 60 and older experience some form of elder abuse, as many of you all may know.

I am responsible.

I am the responsible person for my elderly uncle who is um disabled, and he came to my to live with me as a result um of just not having children and me being in a position to take him in, but that comes with so much responsibility, and several of my uh friends, one who testified today, Dr.

Aisha Weibe, um, lost their parents as a result of abuse and neglect at the hands of um facilities.

So I just want us to bring awareness to it because you know there's a is a statement that says a country will be judged based on the way it treats its elders and its children.

And unfortunately, if that is the the way that we're gonna be graded America is failing, so we must do a better job of protecting our elders as 28 billion annually uh elders are losing due to exploitation, 33 billion in assault related injuries of elders, and Americans are projected to reach nearly ninety-five million by 2060 of American elders aged 65 as they continue to grow.

33 billion in assault-related injuries of elders.

And Americans are projected to reach nearly 95 million by 2060 of American elders aged 65 as they continue to grow.

So many of us, I won't point to anybody, are just the stones throw away from that group in population.

Right, I just looked along the road.

And so anyway, it was just to make awareness, bring awareness because I was there, particularly with two of my friends as they had to go to the facilities and be with them as they left the facilities and had to take pictures of the injuries and the and the um alleged neglect.

Both of them are now seeking uh a resolution through the judicial system and claims are going forward.

But just as a compassionate group of folk that I have the honor of working with, I just wanted to amplify that June is elder abuse uh awareness and prevention month in Cook County.

Um thank you.

Um Commissioner Sams, I just want to um thank you for bringing this forward.

You know, I spend um eight plus years as a child and a young teenager in nursing homes.

Um my mom was a caregiver, um, and although she wasn't uh a worker within the nursing home system, she got to see a lot of what happens.

Um I you know, I think uh some of my most formative um way that I think about how we value um all folks and in family all uh ages is because of that.

Um it gave me um definitely built my character in acknowledging the importance of of life of supporting our elders and um compassion in itself.

Um so I I I agree with you, we're very, very far away from where we need to be at, um, and we need to make sure that we um push for additional investments, um, but accountability is huge when it comes to being in there and how folks are treated, um, the neglect and the overall abuse that happens in the hands of people that are supposed to be caring for our most vulnerable.

So I just wanted to, you know, thank you for uplifting that.

Thank you.

And so um, out of love for my friend, uh my childhood friend, Dr.

Aisha Weibe, I just want to lift her mother's name up, uh, Miss Joyce Cook Bay, and um to my dear childhood friend Dion Taylor, both of whom lost their parents and are now in fighting uh systems.

And just um I was looking at uh capital facts just the other day, and the statement was can we do more to make um nursing facilities accountable to the care of our elders?

And so again, uh June, this is June already is um acknowledged as elder abuse and awareness month.

The second um resolution is really important.

I think not just to um us as Cook County, but for the people that we have entrusted with just making um this county better, and that is the JAC.

Um, I just wanted to lift up uh and recognize June as gun violence and awareness month in Cook County, that RJ as uh John Hopkins says that 48,000 lives are lost annually.

Many of these are children and adolescents, and we know that this loss is connected to disinvestment and structural inequities.

But our Cook County uh CVI programs and SGV programs, um, you all know I don't even like using acronyms, but because we're in home, um our violence uh anti-violence programs have spent uh initial investment of 25 million and an additional 30 million to sustain these programs that have been so wildly successful in reducing gun violence in Cook County.

So I just wanted to put this forward as June as gun violence awareness month with a special shout out to our own JAC and if you get an opportunity, June 5 is where Orange Day, and we also know that uh we uh lift up Hadiah Pendle that day as well, but also too many of our children and too many of our Cook County residents have been victims of gun violence, and we want to continue to reduce the number of folk in our community as it pertains to gun violence, and then finally, you all know that June 19th is Juneteenth.

Um, I want to say I was talking earlier, and we acknowledge Juneteenth and we acknowledge um our late Dennis Deere and Barbara Deer and the and and us that said, you know, it's we can hardly talk about Juneteenth or think about Juneteenth without thinking about that beloved family.

Beloved family.

Um I will leave it at that.

Uh Cook County has lifted up Office of the President Juneteenth, and certainly we are here to support that.

More will be said in just a few scant moments, but we will be having a press conference uh with entertainment around Juneteenth as we continue to celebrate this holiday.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Vasquez, do you have any resolutions?

Okay.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, it is my honor to recognize the Spanish Coalition for Housing.

Their mission is to help low-income moderate.

Oh, I'm sorry, sorry.

Low to moderate income households build generational wealth uh through housing counseling, financial literacy, and advocacy.

They are a tireless fighter for economic mobility.

They serve over 5,000 of our constituents across Chicago.

And very soon they will be having their home buyer expo Camino Sucasa.

If they could please join us at the dais, we'd love to give them formal recognition.

Very soon they will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the home buyer expo, and I will be sending out an email inviting everyone to attend, should they choose.

And if you'd like to join us for a picture, please.

Thank you.

Do you have any further resolutions?

Okay, thank you.

Okay, all right.

I'm like, you're gonna have problems, but yeah, I was like, well, thank you.

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you.

I I brought a large team today.

Uh good morning, and thank you, Madam President, and esteemed members of the board.

My name is Joseph Lopez, executive director and CEO of Spanish Coalition for Housing, also known as SCH.

Thank you, Commissioner Vasquez, for your support introducing today's resolution.

I'd like to recognize our team is joining us, Tino, Alina, Elena, Emilio, Madeline, Jeanette, Yashika, and Prianshi.

It is a pleasure to lead one of the nation's premier nonprofit HUD approved housing counseling organizations, headquartered in Chicago, and calls Cook County home.

SEH's mission is to build generational wealth through housing counseling, financial education, and advocacy by connecting low to moderate income households resources that create housing stability, home ownership, and economic mobility.

This is our North Star guiding our work across Cook County for more than 54 years.

SCH serves more than 5,000 households, impacting the housing needs of over 10,000 individuals across Cook County each year.

This recognition is especially meaningful during National Homeownership Month, a time to celebrate the importance of homeownership as a pathway to building generational wealth and strengthening communities.

For 25 years, SCH's Home Buyer Expo has connected more than 6,200 prospective first-time homebuyers with trusted resources, education, professional guidance to help them navigate the home buying process and supporting them through purchase to post-purchase to ensure homeownership remains sustainable and affordable.

This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, June 27th at Malcolm X College from 10 to 2.

Attendees can learn about uh critical programs such as down payment and closing cost assistance, mortgage lending options, credit improvements, resources, and home buyer education services all under one roof.

Dexcho brings together trusted lenders, real estate professionals, housing counselors, government agencies, including Cook County, and community organizations, allowing participants to connect directly to SCH's trusted partner network.

SCH remains committed to expanding access to affordable, sustainable, and equitable housing opportunities for families throughout Cook County.

We look forward to continuing this work and helping more families reach their dream of homeownership across the county.

Thank you for your support and partnership.

All right, Mark folks.

Are we here, please?

More time for me.

All right.

Thank you.

All right.

Commissioner McCasco?

Yes.

Thank you for the work that you think.

Ladies.

No, we'll come.

We've already done the resolution.

Okay.

All right.

Let's let's take a picture.

So at this time we're just asking for a photo.

Um they spoke at the public hearing.

So resolution to state a five data.

Very good.

One more time for one more time on the airplane.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam president.

Madam President, would it be better now or at the press conference?

All right.

All right.

The motion on the floor is the first two.

Approve the consent calendar.

All favor of approving the consent calendar signify by saying aye.

Opposed opinion of the chair of the eyes have there any announcements that people want to make before we adjourn?

Juneteenth press conference.