MEMORIAL RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE OF EULA BROOKS-WILLIAMS
WHEREAS, Eula "Suga Mama" Brooks-Williams, wife; mother, sister, teacher, and community activist, recently entered into eternity; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of Eula Brooks-Williams's passing by the Honorable Emma Mitts, Alderman ofthe 37th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Eula was bOrn on January 30,1938, to the late Reverend Arnetfe Jenkins and Effie Henry Jenkins in Pontotoc County, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, After being baptized at the age of ten at Cherokee Creek Baptist Church in New Albany, Mississippi, Eula went oh to live a life of service Within the church, her community ; and classrooms across the country; and
WHEREAS, Eula's introduction to service began during her time singing and encouraging Christians along the Bible Belt as the lead altosinger of "The Jenkins Girls", a group comprised of her and all her s|sters; and
WHEREAS, Staying true to her passion for church ministry , Eula served annually as a delegate to the Baptist Convention; and
WHEREAS; Eula moved to Chicago to pursue a degree in Education, and after graduating from Chicago State University with a B.A. in Elementary Education, she advocated for youth while traveling ;across the country as an ambassador for the Teachers UiiiOn; and
WHEREAS, Eula's dedication to academic excellence was recognized by the numerous awards she received throughout her career at Chicago Public Schools; and.
WHEREAS, While in Chicago, Eula joined St; Stephens AME Church in East Garfield Park where she. served as a Sunday School Teacher and met the love of her life, Thomas C. Williams; the two married shortly thereafter and took pride in raising Eula's teenage daughter, Sandra, and Sandra's daughter, Jessica LaShawn, whom Eula and Thomas later adopted; and
WHEREAS, Eula was a pivotal partner in raising awareness of missing funding for the Central and: Grand Avenue bridge, and later ran for State Representative numerous times, each time galvanizing a new population of civically engaged individuals; and
WHEREAS; Eula was on the. front lines of political reform in the Austin neighborhood, where she rallied continuously for community improvements as one of the co-founders of the Austin Grassroots Coalition for Change; and
WHEREAS, Inspiring her family to continue to fight for political reform and civic engagement, Eula was the backbone and main financial sponsor of Mogul Academy, an award-winning non-profit founded by her daughter Jessica that supports entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and financial literacy for urban youth; and
WHEREAS, Her dedication to enriching her family, community, and the church is the foundation of Eula's/iegacy, and she always asked that everyone she touched be willing to mentor the youth in their family and be proud .liaisons between generations at all times; and
WHEREAS, Eula joins the following guardian angels on the other side of this life: her parents, Reverend Arnette and Effie Henry, and her siblings, Reverend Charles Jenkins, Mrs. Daisy Erby, Mrs. Earnestine Carruthers, Mr; James Jenkins, Mrs. Toni Jackson, Mrs. Besie Judon,
Ms. Lunell Jenkins, and Ms. Victoria Jenkins; and
WHEREAS, Eulais survived by: her daughters, Sandra K Brooks Perkins (husband Tpmrnie Lee Perkins), Sandra's children - Jessica LaShawn (adopted by Eula and Thomas), Derrick Brooks, his daughter Derrioria Brooks, Albert L Dunn; (children Kenton Dunn and Danye Dunn); her siblings Wilije Mae Scales,- Lillie Starks, Linda Taylor, Diane Jenkins, and Roy Jenkins; and her godchildren; Rodney Edwards, Darius Williams, Tia Fells, Britney Hammer, Earaina Mixon, and Stephany Rose, Spaulding; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, Thatwe, the Mayor and members of the City Council ofthe City of Chicago, gathered here this twenty-second day of April, 2020,.do, hereby extend our most heartfelt condolences to th&famjly and friends,of Eula "Suga Mama" Brooks-Williams; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to the family Eula Brooks-Williams as a sign of our honor and respect.
EMMA MtTTS Alderman, 37th Ward