RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, KA Voice, a non-partisan organization, was formed in 2012 to empower Korean Americans to engage in elections to raise their political voices;
WHEREAS, there are more than 80,000 ethnic Koreans residing in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, through voter registration efforts, community forums, debates, and policy engagement, KA Voice is working to give Korean-Americans a strong voice in Washington, D.C., the State of Illinois, and in local governments; and
WHEREAS, in conjunction with Illinois State Representative Nekritz and Illinois State Senator Biss, KA Voice was instrumental in passing HR 365 and SR 1073 which recognized and supported "comfort women" who were forced to become sexual slaves for the Japanese Imperial Army as an historical fact and to explore ways to develop an Asian-American social science and history curriculum to include "comfort women" for public school; and
WHEREAS, with KA Voice's assistance and support, U. S. Representative Peter Roskam introduced HR1812 to offer 15,000 special visas to Korean professionals with Representatives Duckworth and Schneider as co-sponsors of the bill; and
WHEREAS, for the past four years KA Voice organized and participated in the Annual Korean American Grassroots Conference in Washington D.C. to visit and discuss the community issues with Congress and various representatives from Illinois; and
WHEREAS, KA Voice has been working to have the Korean language ballot in Cook County and has collected more than 3,000 signatures on the petition that was supported by U.S. Representatives Schneider, Schakowsky, and Krishnamoorthi; and
WHEREAS, whether it is on the issue of immigration reform, a stronger economy, or better relations with South Korea, KA Voice has helped to move our country forward; and
WHEREAS, on March 17, 2018, KA Voice will hold its 7th Early Voting Day drive at Glenview Village Hall to demonstrate Korean-Americans' voting power and increase Korean-American voter turnout; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLED, that we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this twenty-eighth day of February, 2018, do hereby congratulate KA Voice for its many efforts and achievements through the years and wish a well-attended Korean-American Early Vpfing Day; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this p/solution be presejzfed to the Board of Directors of KA Voice.
I. Burke
Alderrran, 14 Ward