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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MUJERES LATINAS EN ACCIÓN
WHEREAS, Mujeres Latinas en Acción (Mujeres) was founded in 1973 by the late Maria Mangual and a group of dedicated women as a shelter for young women escaping violence in the Pilsen community, the first program of its kind; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres is the longest-standing incorporated Latina-led organization in the nation; and
WHEREAS, over the years Mujeres has developed a comprehensive array of social services and advocacy initiatives that promote non-violence, reproductive health, and leadership development; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres is a bilingual/bicultural agency that empowers Latinas by providing services that reflect their values and culture and being an advocate on the issues that make a difference in their lives; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres offers services that support all programs, which include general intake, volunteer training, and childcare; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres continues to provide support for healing and prevention of domestic violence. They offer crisis intervention, a 24-hour crisis line, individual and group counseling, adult and child therapy, court advocacy, community education, professional and volunteer training, and referrals to shelters and other resources; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres also continues to provide support for the healing and prevention of sexual violence, they offer crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, adult and child therapy, legal and medical advocacy, community education, professional and volunteer training, and referrals to other resources; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres has developed a robust Empresarias del Futuro Program (Entrepreneurs of the Future) which is an educational training program in Spanish for women interested in beginning or expanding their small business, leading them on the road to obtaining financial independence; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres mobilizes community members to become civically engaged around issues of economic justice, immigrant justice, gender-based violence, and women’s health; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres also offer parenting education sessions in Spanish to improve interpersonal relationships in families, they also offer individual and group counseling for parents and operate the only free supervised visitation & safe exchange services for low-income families in Chicagoland; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres also offers the only leadership program that is designed for Spanish-speaking immigrant survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Participants develop leadership skills and self-confidence, and identify community issues and advocate for change; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres received funding and created a national initiative to assist and advise organizations around the country to increase programming and capacity to help address and prevent gender-based violence in Latina communities; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres’ services have expanded to sites beyond Pilsen in Brighton Park and North Riverside; and
WHEREAS, Mujeres has continued to be a national leader in gender-based prevention and has been a continuous advocate for survivors.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby recognize and honor the 50th Anniversary of Mujeres Latinas en Acción; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the proceedings of this Honorable Body and that a suitable copy of this resolution is presented to Mujeres Latinas en Acción in honor of its outstanding achievements and its 50th Anniversary.
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