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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING MRS. GLORIA JENKINS HARVEY, AND MS. LOLA JENKINS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION IN THE NORTH LAWNDALE COMMUNITY
WHEREAS, Gloria and Lola Jenkins are Grassroots Community Strategist, Facilitators, and Education Activist; and
WHEREAS, Gloria “Corene” Jenkins Harvey divided her time as an urban youth between the south and west sides of Chicago, Illinois; and
WHEREAS, she graduated from Jones Metropolitan High School in Chicago June of 1996; and
WHEREAS, determined to refine her considerable talent for communicating and connecting with others, Mrs. Jenkins Harvey attended Chicago State University, earning a degree in psychology in May 2005; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Gloria Jenkins Harvey began her career at Nicholas Financial, a specialized finance company with a primary market focus on direct consumer loans; and
WHEREAS, with this experience, she quickly learned the inner workings of the finance industry and leveraged her newly acquired knowledge to monitor and track the performance of hedge funds and investment portfolios, goal oriented and eager to return to the life of service that defined her upbringing, Ms. Jenkins returned to public service in 2008; and
WHEREAS, as a member of the Family Case Management staff for the Westside Association for Community Action (WACA). Mrs. Jenkins Harvey worked in support of families on the Southside of Chicago. The organizational tenants of WACA that were the life’s work of her parents became the enduring and abiding centerpiece of her own life. Having found her place in a career of community advocacy, she has worked to help those who desperately need socially responsible and politically astute individuals to advocate on their behalf; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Jenkins Harvey serves as the Executive Director of the Westside Association for Community Action (WACA). She is a member of Board of Directors for ETA Creative Arts Foundation and was a recent recipient of Lakeside Bank’s “Women Who Make A Difference Award. When asked what she is most thankful for, “she always references the opportunity to perpetuate her family’s legacy of service for the benefit of her community and the people she serves:’ and
WHEREAS, Lola, the youngest daughter of Gloria and Ernie Jenkins, coming of age on the West side of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Lola was deeply involved in service activities with organizations such as Family Focus Lawndale, The Greater Chicago Food Depository, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, and The Links, Inc. and
WHEREAS, demonstrating a standard for high achievement, Ms. Jenkins graduated from Spelman College in May 2004. Characteristic of her foresight concerning her early desire for a career in social service, she earned a degree in political science, with a minor in sociology; and
WHEREAS, after returning to Chicago from Atlanta, Lola Jenkins began her career in community service and advocacy as the acting Operations Manager for the Westside Association for Community Action (WACA) in July 2005; and
WHEREAS, she operated and oversaw the preparation of quarterly and annual budget programs. Exercising her life-long knowledge of social service networks, she successfully acted as WACA’s official representative at business functions; and
WHEREAS, Promoted to VP of Operations in February 2008, quick wit and sharp intellect have been the defining factors in Lola Jenkins quick rise. She is responsible for maintaining financial budgets and ensuring the organization is compliant with state and federal guidelines; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Jenkins is credited with streamlining business processes to increase agency efficiency, and her detail oriented approach has proven beneficial to maintaining WACA’s fiscal viability; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Jenkins has served as an intensely devoted advocate for the underrepresented and ill-served residents of her community. She is an actively sought after voice, and can often be seen networking at major events to create bridges of opportunity for WACA’s diverse constituency. Her personal philosophy is “To whom much is given, much is required.” When asked what she is most grateful for, she identifies her mother, who is the premier role model of her life. She credits her mother’s life of service as the standard by which she measures many accomplishments in her personal life and career. She received her Master’s in Business Administration from Lewis University in May 2013; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Government acknowledges Mrs. Gloria Jenkins Harvey, and Lola Jenkins for transforming lives through community engagement.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Toni Preckwinkle President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners as well as the Board of Commissioners along with the 5.3 million residents of Cook County do hereby recognized, Mrs. Gloria Jenkins Harvey, and Ms. Lola Jenkins for their invaluable, leadership, dedication and commitment to the residents of North Lawndale and herewith express our sincere gratitude for your service to the community.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution is forwarded to Gloria “Corene” Jenkins Harvey, and Lola Jenkins and a copy be placed upon the official record of the honorable body recognizing this auspicious occasion.
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