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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
REMEBERING KAREN CLARK-CHAVERS
WHEREAS, longtime District Director of Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin and beloved community leader Karen Clark-Chavers died on August 23, 2018; and
WHEREAS, Karen Clark-Chavers was born January 26, 1949 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Harold and Thyra Clark; and
WHEREAS, Karen Clark-Chavers attended Saint Elizabeth High School, London Line College and Olive Harvey College; and
WHEREAS, since 2002, Karen Clark-Chavers served as the District Director for Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin. She was also his treasured friend and trusted advisor; and
WHEREAS, as District Director, Karen Clark-Chavers tirelessly helped thousands of residents of the Thirteenth District navigate Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Karen Clark-Chavers organized a property tax assessment appeal program, where she helped homeowners lower their property tax assessments. She helped seniors, the disabled and veterans to receive all of their exemptions, lowering their tax bills or making them eligible for a refund; and
WHEREAS, Karen Clark-Chavers was the Treasurer of the Housing Authority of Cook County, where she worked to ensure that everyone, regardless of their income, had a safe, affordable place to live; and
WHEREAS, Karen Clark-Chavers was proud to have been a community organizer. She considered it to be the defining training of her career and it influenced her worldview and professional life. She was the founder and director of the Evanston Neighborhood Conference, a network of neighborhood groups across the City that worked to improve Evanston. When Southeast Evanston was struck by bursts of violence, Karen was on the front line. She built relationships with everyone. Longtime residents, newcomers, the elderly, the youth, law abiding and those outside of the law. She knocked countless doors, held numerous community meetings and fought to keep the peace. She brought in programming and services for the local kids, ...
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