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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ELISE MALARY
WHEREAS, Elise Malary, a 31-year-old Black trans woman activist and community leader died in March 2022; and
WHEREAS, Elise was born on March 29, 1990 and lived in Chicago's Andersonville and Rogers Park neighborhoods before moving to Evanston. Elise was a beloved sister, friend, advocate, and community leader. She was known for her fierceness, kindness, and compassion; and
WHEREAS, Elise moved to Chicago in 2016. She interned at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago before working at Equality Illinois, and the Chicago Reader. She joined the Illinois Attorney General’s office where she became a valued member of the Civil Rights Bureau. She was a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and was passionate about her work. She regularly joined other advocates from across the state to lobby state legislators in support of LGBTQ+ affirming legislation during annual LGBTQ+ Advocacy Days. She was an outspoken advocate for the transgender community, especially LGBTQ+ youth, and had been working to raise awareness about transgender violence and discrimination. She served for three years as a member of the Equality Illinois Community Advisory Group; and
WHEREAS, Elise traveled around the state to lift LGBTQ+ Illinoisans, including several trips to Carbondale where she met with LGBTQ+ youth at the Rainbow Cafeì LGBTQ+ Center. On October 8, 2017, she was the keynote speaker at the Center's gala, and her remarks continue to inspire and offer hope to those who attended the event; and
WHEREAS, Elise was a founding member of the Chicago Therapy Collective, the mission of which is to promote city-wide accountability and action to alleviate LGBTQ+ health disparities and advance collective LGBTQ+ health and well-being through education, therapy, advocacy, and the arts. She helped coordinate the Collective’s annual Transgender Day of Resilience and Transgender Day of Visibility events and was a leader on the #HireTransNOW# initiative to reduce anti-Trans hiring stigma and create pipelines to Trans-affirming jobs; and
WHEREAS, Elise was known to many through her activism. In 2019, when anti-Trans stickers were placed at the Women and Children First Bookstore in Andersonville, she helped organize a community rally and chalking of the sidewalk outside the bookstore with messages of hope and affirmation for Trans people; and
WHEREAS, Iggy V. Ladden, founder of the Chicago Therapy Collective, said “Elise Malary faced hardness and chose kindness. Elise faced cruelty and chose softness, love, and joy. She chose giving people the benefit of the doubt. She looked for the good in them. She chose compassion, and, she chose time and time again to lift others up;” and
WHEREAS, Elise was a shining light, not just for the transgender community, but for all of Chicago. She will be sorely missed by her friends, family, and loved ones, as well as others who knew and worked with her to improve the lives and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County, on behalf of the 5.2 million residents of Cook County, honors the work and life of Elise Malary, and herewith expresses its sincere gratitude for the invaluable contributions she made to the Citizens of Cook County, Illinois; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and that an official copy of same be tendered to the Chicago Therapy Collective and to the family of Elise Malary.
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