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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING 30 YEARS OF COMMUNITY CENTERED RESEARCH AND SERVICE BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO GREAT CITIES INSTITUTE
WHEREAS, in 1993, Chancellor James Stukel convened a 28-member advisory committee to implement the Great Cities Initiative at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC); and
WHEREAS, the UIC Neighborhoods Initiative, established in 1994 with a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, served as the flagship program of the Greater Cities Institute and initially focused on the Pilsen and Near West Side communities; and
WHEREAS, the University of Illinois Chicago Great Cities Institute (GCI) was formally established in 1995 as part of UIC’s Great Cities Initiative to align academic research with the needs of Chicago and other urban communities; and
WHEREAS, on December 1, 1995, Governor Jim Edgar proclaimed the date as "Great Cities Day" in Illinois, in recognition of the University of Illinois at Chicago's (UIC) Great Cities Initiative and the establishment of the Great Cities Institute (GCI); and
WHEREAS, for 30 years, GCI has advanced community focused research and partnerships that promote equity, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and improved quality of life across Chicago and its metropolitan region; and
WHEREAS, since its founding, GCI has partnered with more than 100 neighborhood-based organizations to support participatory planning, inform public policy, and empower residents to shape community investment programs; and
WHEREAS, the Great Cities Institute is a nationally recognized program known for connecting its scholarship and research to real-world impact through collaboration amongst faculty, students, residents, and civic partners; and
WHEREAS, CGI’s research includes the areas of Employment and Economic Development, Governance, Global Mobility, Energy and the Environment, and Community Well-being; and
WHEREAS, in recent years, CGI has built on its legacy of research and equity through the publishing of foundational reports, including the 2025 Raíces Report: Advancing Equity, Justice, and Community Development, Fuerza Mexicana: The Past, Present, and Power of Mexicans in Chicagoland, Latinos in the Suburbs: Challenges and Opportunities, ¡Actívate! A community-data driven plan to help Latinas and their families thrive, and Youth Employment Data Brief: Racial and Geographic Inequities in Youth and Young Adult Joblessness and Disconnection in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and the US. 2019 - 23; and
WHEREAS, these various reports and countless research, article, and policy briefs published by CGI, have been instrumental to guiding and informing the policy and practice of various levels of government in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, 2026 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Great Cities Institute, signaling an important milestone of sustained civic commitment and a renewed dedication to addressing ongoing urban challenges; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners congratulates the University of Illinois Chicago Great Cities Institute on the occasion of its 30th Anniversary and commends its contributions to strengthening communities throughout Chicago and its metropolitan region; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Great Cities Institute as an expression of appreciation and best wishes for their continued success.
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