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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING MAY AS ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
WHEREAS, Cook County is a diverse community of more than five million people with ancestries from all parts of the world; and
WHEREAS, the more than 300,000 Asian American residents of Cook County have contributed significantly to the development of our neighborhoods and cities; and
WHEREAS, Asians, along with Irish immigrants and African Americans among others, constructed and operated the transcontinental railroads that passed through Cook County and provided the basis for our county’s economic strength as a transportation center; and
WHEREAS, Cook County is home to Asian American veterans who fought heroically for our nation through many of her conflicts in the 20th century, including Filipinos who, alongside soldiers from Maywood, Illinois, survived the Bataan Death March in the Philippines during World War II, and Japanese Americans of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Teams who served our nation with the highest military honors despite being designated for internment in American concentration camps on the west coast; and
WHEREAS, Asian American immigrants have made--and continued to make--tremendous efforts in professional fields such as medicine, engineering, education, accounting and chemistry; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans, both native born and naturalized immigrants, are making strides in a wider range of professional fields including government, the arts, journalism, the legal profession, athletics, international trade, higher learning and the entertainment industry; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans are among the ranks of elected and appointed officials at the state and national level, and are helping to shape the future of our nation and society; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans are among the ranks of both elected and appointed officials at the local level including Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar of the 47th Ward; and Cook County Judges Rena Van Tine, Sanjay Tailor, Israel Desierto, Maria Kuriakos Ciesil, Neera Walsh, Ketki Steffen, Pamela Leeming, Skokie Park District Commissioner Jerry Clarito, Morton Grove Library Board member Bert Calimag, former Lincolnwood Mayor Peter Moy,
WHEREAS, the Honorable Joseph Tecson, former Cook County Board Commissioner, served as the first Asian American Cook County Commissioner from 1977-1982; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans are in key positions in the news, entertainment and social media industries as co-founders of firms such as Yahoo, YouTube, Sun Microsystems; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans are a major force in various business and education sectors; and
WHEREAS, Asian American athletes, and Asian athletes in America are excelling individually and are leading national sports teams and American professional sports teams to Olympic medals and world championships; and
WHEREAS, Cook County employs the largest number and percentage of Asian Americans in any governmental workforce in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Cook County values the diversity of the Asian American community and has sought out the advice of Asian Americans in Cook County and has convened the first ever, Cook County Asian American Advisory Council; and
WHEREAS, Asian American Heritage Month provides Cook County an opportunity to restate its firm stand against any and all discrimination on the basis of race, creed or national origin in Cook County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners declare the month of May as Asian American Heritage Month in Cook County, and urge all residents and groups to participate in the events sponsored by Asian American organizations throughout the month of May.
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