Salute to Reverend Leslie Sanders, Sr.
WHEREAS, The need for dedicated grassroots community organizers that help pave the way for today's youths to success has never been so strong; and
WHEREAS, At the age of 16, Leslie Sanders heard his call to the ministry, and at the age of 18 became a licensed minister, preparing himself for his theological career at Christian Brothers College in Memphis, Tennessee and McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, was ordained a Baptist Minister in 1974, and in 1994 was ordained as a Minister in the Presbyterian Church; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Sanders served as Associate Minister at St. Peter Baptist Church and Assistant Pastor at Vollentine Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee and in Chicago has served as Pastor of the Solid Rock Baptist Church, Pastor of the Light of the World Baptist Church and Pastor of the Hope Presbyterian Church; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Sanders not only served his faith, but also his community, actively participating for many years as a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Operation PUSH Rainbow Coalition, The Woodlawn Organization, Chicago Baptist Minister's Conference and the Westside Ministers Conference and serving as Vice Chairman of the Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corporation; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Sanders also is responsible for numerous grassroots efforts for campaigns for political leaders such as former Attorney General Roland W. Burris, Congressman Bobby Rush, Chicago Mayors Richard M. Daley and Eugene Sawyer, former Cook County Board President Richard Phelan and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas; and
WHEREAS, In the spring of 2005, Reverend Sanders convened the Governor's Ministerial Summit at the Governor's Mansion in Springfield, where minority clerics delivered a myriad of concerns to the state's chief executive, including discussions on education and healthcare availability to minority citizens; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, Reverend Sanders Founded the H.O.P.E Technology and Education Center based in Englewood, on the city's Southside, which provides real wqriri training to the inner-city communities in order to prepare its residents in the emerging ^ global economy; and cz
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WHEREAS, Reverend Sanders today serves as Senior Vice President of Community ^ Relations for The Prairie Group and continues to bring a commanding portfolio of Z5 community grassroots organizing to Chicago's minority community; now therefore ^5
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members ofthe City of Chicago City ^ Council, assembled here this 11th Day of September, 2013 AD, do hereby salute
Reverend Leslie Sanders, Sr. for his lifelong dedication to both his church as well as his community.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Reverend Leslie Sanders, Sr.