RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Claire Mukundente is not only an asset to the City of Chicago, but a mentor, role model and advocate for refugees, asylees, immigrants, youth and women across the world despite the hardships she has faced in her own life; and
WHEREAS, The City Council has been informed about the exceptional humanitarian work and perseverance of Claire Mukundente by the Honorable Brian Hopkins, Alderman ofthe 2nd Ward; and
WHEREAS, Claire Mukundente left Kigali, Rwanda when she was fifteen to escape the Rwandan genocide, an ethnic conflict which brought the deaths of thousands of Rwandans. She traveled through Africa to have a better life with her husband, child and sister and they were eventually granted asylum and arrived in the United States in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Upon arriving in the United States, Claire and her family received generous support from Illinois families who helped them navigate their new life. For the first seven years in the United States, Claire cleaned hotel rooms to make a living; and
WHEREAS, After those seven years, Claire accepted a job at the Uptown Neighborhood Health Center in Chicago. In addition to working a day job at the Uptown Neighborhood Health Center, Claire also took night calls at her apartment from other refugees in the neighborhood when they needed help translating official documents or paperwork. She was fully equipped to help with language barriers as she speaks four African languages, English and some French; and
WHEREAS, Claire worked for Pan-African Association, a Chicago-based nonprofit, whose mission is to serve and promote the integration of refugees, asylees and immigrants from several countries. She thought of herself not just as a teacher but as someone who has lived as a refugee and is familiar with the many adverse challenges they face; and
WHEREAS, In 2017, Claire founded Women United for Refugees and Immigrants of Illinois, a nonprofit organization focusing on providing resources, guidance, stability, compa...
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