|
| | SR1002 | | LRB103 40765 LAW 73594 r |
|
|
1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
|
2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened |
3 | | to learn of the death of Rickye Denise "Rikki" Jones, who |
4 | | passed away on April 21, 2024; and
|
5 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones was born to Mercedes Jones and Willis |
6 | | Jones in Chicago on August 12, 1950; she was raised by her |
7 | | grandparents, Marie and Wilbur Williams, and her aunt, |
8 | | Patricia "Pat" Williams; she attended St. Martin Catholic |
9 | | School and graduated from St. Thomas the Apostle High School |
10 | | in Hyde Park; she pursued higher education at Illinois |
11 | | Benedictine College and spent a semester at sea through |
12 | | Chapman College, studying and traveling in Asia; she later |
13 | | obtained her master's degree from the University of Phoenix; |
14 | | and
|
15 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones was a beloved educator, a passionate |
16 | | community activist, and a tireless champion of political |
17 | | empowerment; her teaching career spanned many years at the |
18 | | City Colleges of Chicago and the Chicago Public School system, |
19 | | where her deep passion and love for young children were |
20 | | evident in her unwavering availability and willingness to help |
21 | | whenever and however she could, remaining dedicated to |
22 | | uplifting others through education and advocacy; and
|
|
| | SR1002 | - 2 - | LRB103 40765 LAW 73594 r |
|
|
1 | | WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Rikki Jones was at the |
2 | | forefront of the fight for rights and opportunities, beginning |
3 | | at the age of 17 when she became involved with Operation |
4 | | Breadbasket, organized by the Southern Christian Leadership |
5 | | Conference (SCLC) and later transformed into Operation PUSH, |
6 | | and the Black Panther Party Breakfast Program; and
|
7 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones' passion for civic engagement led to |
8 | | 34 years of leadership with the Cook County Democratic Women, |
9 | | an organization committed to advancing women's rights and |
10 | | political representation; she was responsible for launching |
11 | | the careers of various political leaders, as well as |
12 | | advocating for numerous campaigns, including Mayor Harold |
13 | | Washington, U.S. Senator Carol Mosley Braun, President Barack |
14 | | Obama, Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson of the U.S. |
15 | | Supreme Court, Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch of the Illinois |
16 | | House of Representatives, and many more; she attended the 1996 |
17 | | Democratic National Convention after serving as a volunteer |
18 | | worker on President Bill Clinton's campaign and was chosen as |
19 | | a delegate for the 2024 Democratic National Convention in |
20 | | support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala |
21 | | Harris; and
|
22 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones was a regular guest speaker on such |
23 | | WVON shows as the Cliff Kelly Show and the Perri Small Show, |
24 | | where she advocated for her community and provided helpful |
|
| | SR1002 | - 3 - | LRB103 40765 LAW 73594 r |
|
|
1 | | information; and
|
2 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones was the recipient of several |
3 | | accolades during her life, including the Dunbar Vocational |
4 | | Career Academy Service Award; she was further honored by Cook |
5 | | County Clerk Dorothy Brown and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin as |
6 | | well as at the Power Rising Conference; and
|
7 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones committed to her faith at an early |
8 | | age, being baptized at Holy Immanuel Episcopal Church as an |
9 | | infant; she served as an active member in Sunday school and the |
10 | | children's choir, participating in all church pageants; as an |
11 | | adult, she was baptized at Maryland Avenue Missionary Baptist |
12 | | Church, where she served as youth director for many years; she |
13 | | was a dedicated member of Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist |
14 | | Church, serving on the boards of trustees and nursing, working |
15 | | in the youth group, serving as a Sunday school teacher, and |
16 | | leading a special project for the outreach ministry; and
|
17 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones deeply loved her family and was |
18 | | affectionately known as "Aunt Rikki" to all of her younger |
19 | | family members; she shared a special bond with her Aunt Pat and |
20 | | adored her cousins, Ann Marie and Joy, who were like sisters; |
21 | | and
|
22 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones made an indelible mark on her |
|
| | SR1002 | - 4 - | LRB103 40765 LAW 73594 r |
|
|
1 | | community; she will be remembered for her unwavering |
2 | | commitment to social justice and equality, inspiring |
3 | | generations to come; and
|
4 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones was preceded in death by her |
5 | | grandparents; her parents; and her brothers, Kenneth (Val) |
6 | | Wilbur and Wayne (Ann) Vincent; and
|
7 | | WHEREAS, Rikki Jones is survived by her aunt; her nieces |
8 | | and nephews, Marie, Nicole, Vincent, Kenneth, and Autumn; her |
9 | | cousins; her great-cousins, Jonathan, Jeremy, Olivia, Kathryn, |
10 | | and Alexander; her great-nephews, Rahaman, Rahsul, and |
11 | | Rahfeeq; her great-nieces, Noa and Hannah; her special |
12 | | friends, Reverend Krista Alston and her extended family; and a |
13 | | host of family, friends, students, her church family, and the |
14 | | political community; therefore, be it
|
15 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL |
16 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of |
17 | | Rickye Denise "Rikki" Jones and extend our sincere condolences |
18 | | to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be |
19 | | it further
|