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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE OF PASTOR RON TAYLOR, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE UNITED CONGRESS OF COMMUNITY AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, A proud South Sider, Ronnie Taylor, affectionately known as “Pastor Ron,” was born in Chicago on July 31, 1957 and dedicated his life to ministry and earnest public service; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Ron was the youngest of seven children and graduated from Farragut Career Academy in Chicago in 1975; and
WHEREAS, Drawn to religious life as a teenager, Pastor Ron was ordained a minister at Hope Deliverance Tabernacle, the same place where he met his future wife; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Ron married Johnnie May Jewett in 1974 and together they have a daughter, Rebecca, and granddaughter, Harmony; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Ron began his career at companies including Sears Roebuck and Co., Wells Manufacturing Co. and RR Donnelly’s and Sons Printing Co., where he worked for 25 years until he retired to take on ministry full time; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the years, Pastor Ron embodied his commitment to faith and advocacy by serving on the Board of Trustees of Truth Triumphant Ministry, founding the Disciples for Christ Outreach Ministries, and serving on the Board of Directors, among other positions, for Target Area Development Corporation; and
WHEREAS, One of Pastor Ron’s most notable accomplishments was the 2005 co-founding of the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations (UCCRO), a coalition of revered Chicago based cross-racial and faith-based social justice advocates, ultimately becoming its Executive Director in 2013; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Pastor Ron, UCCRO has tirelessly advocated for policies that prioritize justice and opportunity for communities of color and coordinates a Racial Equity Training that addresses structural racism; and
WHEREAS, UCCRO advocates for addressing systemic issues and racial inequities that lead to the mass criminalization of poverty stricken communities, in addition to supporting the Illinois TRUST Act and efforts to repeal the prohibition on rent control; and
WHEREAS, As a result of his leadership and commitment to empowering communities of color, Pastor Ron gained local and national recognition for his work in the area of social justice; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Ron had recently been recognized as 2017 Champion of Social Justice by Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy; and
WHEREAS, Known for his humility and compassion, Pastor Ron’s legacy will live on through his family, colleagues and the communities he served; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby honor the life and work of cherished community leader Pastor Ron Taylor; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be tendered to Pastor Ron Taylor’s family and to the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations as a symbol of condolence and recognition of his dedication.
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