RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, In recognition of her leadership and appreciation of her tireless work improving the lives of the residents of the 4th Ward and all Chicagoans through zealous advocacy as a member of the City Council, the Members of this Chamber are pleased to congratulate Alderman Sophia King, on the occasion of her retirement from the Council; and
WHEREAS, Alderman King was born in the Mississippi Delta and was raised in Evanston, Illinois, earning a master's degree in education and social policy from Northwestern University before moving to Kenwood in the 1980s; and
WHEREAS, Before becoming an Alderman in 2016, Sophia King worked to ensure that every child had access to a good education, including by helping to diversify classes at the Latin School of Chicago and founding the Ariel Community Academy; and
WHEREAS, Sophia King also spent five years as a small business owner and founded Harriet's Daughters, a nonprofit organization that has the mission to increase employment and wealth in the African American community; and
WHEREAS, Alderman King has fought for youth programs as President of the Kenwood Park Advisory Council, advocated for women's reproductive rights as Vice President of Planned Parenthood Chicago, and created a community response to gun violence with The It's Time Organization (TITO); and
WHEREAS, Since becoming an Alderman in 2016, Sophia King has focused on transparency and service, serving as a voice for those who have historically lacked a champion in City Hall; and
WHEREAS, Alderman King chaired the City Council's Progressive Caucus and led the fight for a $15 per hour minimum wage in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Alderman King has also focused on crime and public safety issues, including advocating for the inclusion of a non-police emergency response program in the City budget; and
WHEREAS, As Alderman of the 4th Ward, Sophia King has campaigned for more affordable housing, and especially more developments built by minority contractors across Bronzeville, Kenwood, and Hyde Park; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this nineteenth day of April 2023, do hereby congratulate Alderman Sophia King on the occasion of her retirement; express to her our heartfelt gratitude for her exemplary service to the residents of our great City; and extend to her our best wishes for continued health, happiness, prosperity, and success; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Alderman Sophia King as a sign of our appreciation and esteem.