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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE SELECTION OF THE FINAL FLAG DESIGNS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AS A NEW FLAG FOR COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Cook County flag is the official banner of Cook County, Illinois, the second-largest county in the United States with a population of over 5.2 million people; and
WHEREAS, on March 14, 1961, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved the current County flag by Resolution, designed by four County employees and the County Treasurer and submitted by then-President Daniel Ryan; and
WHEREAS, in December 2019, it was determined by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that in celebration of the County’s bicentennial anniversary a new flag would be created to be representative of the rich culture and diversity of the residents, geography, and history of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners invited all high school aged students in grades 9 through 12 to submit flag designs for consideration using colors, symbols, shapes and patterns to represent the following aspects of Cook County, including:
• County Mission and History: Cook County has played a large role in the development of the modern United States and has innovated government services delivery over the past 200 years, including access to health care, transportation and roadways, the justice system, environmental preservation, immigrant sanctuary, business assistance, social services, and as the center of commerce and shipping for the nation.
• Geography: Cook Couty’s natural landscape is as diverse as the residents that enjoy it including, the 60,000-acre Forest Preserve, Lake Michigan, more than a dozen rivers, and the six main geographic regions of the County.
• People: Cook County is home to people from every background who come from all over the nation and world, of which nearly 60% are people of color, of which 35% are residents who speak a language other an English at home, and where there are 14 languages on the ballot; and
WHEREAS, nearly 300 submissions were received for the Flag Redesign Competition from students at 40 schools and from every Commissioner’s District in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, a Flag Advisory Panel, chaired by Commissioner Scott Britton and Cook County Historic Archives and Records Office Historian Matthew DeLeon and comprised of historians, community members, design experts, County Board members, and County leadership, was appointed to review, analyze, and evaluate the flag designs submitted by students. The Flag Advisory Panel members included esteemed community leaders and are thanked for dedicating their time and expertise:
• Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya
• Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen
• Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore
• Lisa Lee, National Public Housing Museum Director and UIC School of Art Director
• Ty McCarthy, City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development Project Coordinator
• Jonathan Meitus, WEBSTER9
• Stephany Rimland, Harper College Professor and Art Department Chair
• Arnold Randall, Forest Preserve District of Cook County Superintendent
• Carl Vogel, Forest Preserve District of Cook County Director of Communications; and
WHEREAS, the Flag Advisory Panel scored each flag based on composition, such as colors and design elements but not mode or medium, and representation of the County’s mission, history, people, and geography as well as the student’s description and title of their flag; and
WHEREAS, after rigorous deliberation, the Flag Advisory Panel selected 25 semi-finalist designs, whose student-submitters were paired with volunteer design professionals as mentors to diligently hone, clarify, and professionalize the flag artwork and descriptions; and
WHEREAS, the Flag Advisory Panel thoughtfully reevaluated the refined 25 semi-finalist designs for a second round of determination; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Flag Advisory Panel is proud to submit to the Board of Commissioners the final six designs for consideration as a new flag for Cook County:
• Freedom: Jaime Joshua Fregoso (Ray Graham Training Center)
• Harmony: Alex Tomy (Maine East H.S.)
• I Will Banner: Andrew Duffy (Glenbrook South H.S.)
• New Century Flag: Tim Mellman (Oak Park H.S. and River Forest H.S.)
• Our Star: Sofia Hogue (Evanston Township H.S.) and Ryan Bradley (Disney II Magnet H.S.)
• Strides for Cook County: Charlye Hunt (Alan Shepard H.S.) and Rayn White (Providence St. Mel H.S.); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, a public committee meeting be held for the Board of Commissioners to discuss and assess the final flag designs, and provide the Flag Advisory Panel and President of Cook County with feedback on the six finalist flag designs for Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following the public committee meeting, the President and the Flag Advisory Panel shall consider the feedback and determine the final selection which shall be submitted to the Cook County Board of Commissioners for advice and consent; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the six finalist flags will be flown in the lobby of the County Building for the next month in celebration of this Countywide bicentennial milestone; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, President Toni Preckwinkle, the Board of Commissioners, and the Flag Advisory Panel celebrate and thank the hundreds of students who participated in the Flag Redesign Competition for their creativity and contributions in the development of the future symbol and banner that will represent Cook County for the next millennium; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the volunteer design professionals, who served as mentors to student designers, be recognized for their civic duty to Cook County, including: Martin Burciaga, Graphic Design Specialist at Cook County Graphics Department; Martinez E-B, Art Professor at Harper College; Denny Liu, Senior Designer at The Office of Experience; Scott Rench, Freelance Creative Director; Carl Vogel, Director of Communications at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County; Josh Witherspoon, Executive Creative Director at VSA Partners; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the finalist student designers and volunteer design professional mentors to recognize and honor their passion, tenacity, and commitment to the future of Cook County.
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