MEMORIAL RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE OF MARCOS MUNOZ
WHEREAS, Marcos Munoz, activist, husband, father, mentor, and friend, peacefully passed into heaven on May 15, 2021, at the age of 80; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of Marcos' passing by the Honorable Michael D. Rodriguez, Alderman of the 22nd Ward; and
WHEREAS, Marcos was born in Cuidad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico on April 25, 1941; at the age of 13, he crossed the border to the United States to look for work to help feed his family, and was hired to feed farm animals on a ranch, where he slept in a barn and made $3.00 a day; and
WHEREAS, After working on the ranch for six months, Marcos decided he wanted to return home, and asked for his pay; the rancher he was working for said he would pay Marcos in the morning, but that next morning at 4:00 a.m., immigration authorities woke Marcos and handcuffed him; Marcos asked the immigration authorities to allow him to collect his pay, and they let him walk to the rancher's home, but the rancher never opened the door; Marcos was deported penniless, and came back to the United States seeking revenge; and
WHEREAS, Marcos worked the migrant trail from Texas to Colorado, Arizona, California, and Washington State; in 1965, Marcos met Cesar Chavez and went on strike with the United Farm Workers (UFW), thinking the union was like him, seeking revenge, before coming to understand the importance of non-violent, peaceful protest; and
WHEREAS, Taking the lessons he learned from striking with the UFW, Marcos successfully led the grape boycott in Boston from 1968 to 1971, helped establish the ranch committees in Arvin and Lemont after the first contracts were signed in 1970, and became the first East Coast Boycott Coordinator in 1971 to 1972; he was then sent to Chicago as the Midwest Boycott Coordinator from 1972 to 1975; and
WHEREAS, After working with the UFW, he went on to become a Steel Worker for 11 years before taking a job at Cook County Hospital as Manager of Supplies and Linen, where he worked for 11 years before retiring; and
WHEREAS, When Marcos left the UFW, he settled in the Little Village community - the largest community area of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the Midwest; Marcos was an important part of the community as an activist, helping to organize block clubs throughout the neighborhood, working to elect representatives from the community, and fighting alongside his neighbors to build strong neighborhood schools and establish a family medicine primary care clinic that provides care regardless of insurance coverage; several years ago, the clinic added dental services for all; and
WHEREAS, Marcos was a mentor to many, including United States Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, State Senator Celina Villanueva, Alderman Michael D. Rodriguez, and dozens of other elected and appointed officials; and
WHEREAS, Marcos is survived by his wife, Andrea O'Malley Munoz; their daughter, Maria; his grandson, Anthony Thompson (Montenay Thomas); and his great-grandson, Zion Omega Thompson; and
WHEREAS, An honored and beloved community organizer, Marcos will be missed by his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched; now, therefore