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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING ACCESS LIVING OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO ON THEIR 45TH ANNIVERSARY
WHEREAS, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago (Access Living) is a leading nonprofit and Center for Independent Living (CIL) dedicated to empowering adults with disabilities in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Access Living, founded in 1980 and headquartered at 115 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654; and
WHEREAS, Access Living is led and staffed mainly by people with disabilities, and it champions the idea of "nothing about us without us." The organization advocates for independent living, civil rights, and social equality, inclusion; and
WHEREAS, Access Living's vision is a world free from barriers and discrimination - where disability is a respected and natural part of the human experience, and people with disabilities are included and valued; and
WHEREAS, Access Living's mission is to ignite disability power and pride, provide critical services, and break down systemic barriers to create a stronger, more inclusive society; and
WHEREAS, Access Living started a disability housing coalition that resulted in the creation of the Office on Disability Policy at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and
WHEREAS, Access Living also played a key role in drafting and passing the groundbreaking Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990; and
WHEREAS, Access Living provides peer support, independent living skills, and individual and systemic advocacy, including help with housing discrimination, ADA compliance, domestic violence, immigration, Social Security, and public benefits; and
WHEREAS, Access Living also offers information and referral, transition assistance for youth programs and life changes, as well as public education, workshops, and civic engagement opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Access Living also organizes support groups, policy task forces, and events focused on disability; and.
WHEREAS, Access Living's building exemplifies universal and green design, featuring wheelchair-accessible elevators, smooth flooring, sensory lighting, and environmental sustainability, which has earned a Gold LEED certification rating; and
WHEREAS, although Access Living does not offer public tours routinely, private tours may be arranged upon request; and
WHEREAS, Access Living has developed a pioneering fair housing testing program to identify discrimination against people with disabilities in housing sales and rentals; and
WHEREAS, Access Living's innovative approach, combined with its youth initiative, has become a model for creating similar programs across the country; and
WHEREAS, Access Living successfully pushed for $30 million to be allocated from the Chicago Public Schools' budget Capital Improvement Plan, making schools more accessible; and
WHEREA, in 2006, youth leaders from Access Living led a campaign to restore millions of dollars that had been cut from the Chicago Public Schools' budget; and
WHEREAS, Access Living empowers people with disabilities through advocacy, legal support, independent living training, and public policy; and
WHEREAS, Access Living works locally, statewide, and nationally to protect rights and eliminate systemic obstacles that prevent full participation in society.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Cook County Board President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby congratulate Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago on its 45th anniversary and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, this text be spread upon the proceedings of this Honorable Body and that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago in honor of its outstanding work.
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