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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY
WHEREAS, Mexican Independence is a culturally significant event for many constituents and residents of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Cook County has a large Mexican-American population that has made significant contributions to our county; and
WHEREAS, Mexican Independence is celebrated on September 16th; and
WHEREAS, the holiday commemorates the day in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic priest, called for armed resistance against Spanish rule with his "Grito de Dolores" (Cry of Dolores); and
WHEREAS, Mexico officially gained independence from Spain in 1821 after more than a decade of conflict; and
WHEREAS, Mexican Independence Day is a celebration of Mexican and Mexican-American history, and the impact the Mexican Revolution had on Chicano culture in the United States. Its purpose ties to our present day, serving as a time to promote equity and a fair chance at life for everyone; and
WHEREAS, the numbers of Mexican immigrants greatly expanded during World War I and World War II when Mexicans began arriving in large numbers to work in the steel mills, stockyards, and packinghouses and helped to build Cook County into an industrial powerhouse; and
WHEREAS, programs such as the Bracero Program in 1942 allowed Mexican populations to migrate to the United States and work jobs that played an important role in the economy; and
WHEREAS, increased migration from Mexico led to the formation of communities throughout Chicago and Cook County with large populations of Mexican-Americans; and
WHEREAS, Mexican-American individuals of every generation have made immense contributions through their service in the United States Military, the arts, education, science, and philanthropy in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, today, Cook County is home to many Mexican-American communities, such as the neighborhoods of Pilsen, Little Village, Hermosa, and Belmont Cragin in Chicago, and suburban municipalities...
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