RESOLUTION HONORING CHICAGO'S CITIZENS FOR CHANGE AND ITS FOUNDERS JOY MCCORMICK AND SIU MOI
WHEREAS, Joy McCormick and Siu Moi founded the non-profit Chicago's Citizens for Change in May 2010 in response to the tragic loss of their son, to assist Chicago families who have survived loss due to violence; and
WHEREAS, In October 2009, Joy and Siu's son, Francisco "Frankie" Valencia, a resident advisor and honors student at DePaul University, was shot and killed at a Halloween party, just eight months before he was to graduate with an honors degree in political science and psychology; and
WHEREAS, Frankie was a decorated student and beloved and active member of the DePaul student body, just 21 years old when his bright future was tragically cut short by a senseless act of gun violence; and
WHEREAS, After Frankie's death, Joy and Siu turned their grief into a movement supporting others who have experienced loss due to homicide, which eventually led to the creation of Chicago's Citizens for Change, and under that, the program Chicago Survivors that also supports families who have lost a loved one to violence; and
WHEREAS, Chicago's Citizens for Change supports families who are coping with the loss of a loved one to violence, and provides families and individuals experiencing a loss with a systematic response of supportive resources; and
WHEREAS, Chicago's Citizens for Change strives to bring together services that support and provide resources to families in the wake of a violent tragedy and helps families navigate the aftermath of these tragedies so they do not have to do so alone; and
WHEREAS, Chicago's Citizens for Change and Chicago Survivors have assisted hundreds of families who have fallen victim to violence in the City by offering resources such as free and open crisis intervention, a 24-hour crisis hotline, supportive counseling, child counseling, and case management; and
WHEREAS, Frankie's legacy lives on through the efforts and work of Chicago's Citizens for Change, its volunteers, and its founders, Joy and Siu; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this nineteenth day of February, 2020, do hereby recognize Chicago's Citizens for Change, Joy McCormick, and Siu Moi for their service to Chicago families coping with the loss of a family member to violence; and
EMMA MITTS Alderman, 37th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy ofthis resolution be prepared and presented to Joy McCormick and Siu Moi as a sign of our gratitude and respect.