STATE OF ILLINOIS NEWS
RG0IRG-0TI-R0GIE0rk-0gKIDear:
I am enthusiastically applying to be an appointed member of the state of Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion. In all honesty, I believe I am uniquely qualified to serve as an inaugural member of this very important and much needed administrative body because of my several decade’s experiences in local and state government and as a minority businessman.
As an African American who has spent his entire life in the state and a graduate of its major university system, I have dedicated my life to securing EQUITY and INCLUSION for African Americans and all Illinoisans. Fair is fair and right is right. That has been my guiding principle no matter what I do, or who I’m dealing with.
According to its statutory creation purpose, the major responsibilities of this Commission are to set fair and equitable standards for the State by (1) take a lead role in all State and public university procurement and hiring process, and (2) to create and implement evaluation matrix to objectively judge whether or not a state agency or a public university or community college is in compliance with the goals and the legislative intent of the Commission. Based on these charges, I believe I possess the eminent experiences and qualifications to carry out such duties and responsibilities in a fair and equitable inclusive manner.
Pertinent examples of experience and qualification:
- I understand diversity and inclusion because I integration an all-white school in the seventh grade in 1965;
- An awarded EEO officer for the Illinois Department of Transportation in District 8, the second largest district of the IDOT, second only to Chicago, for 15 years;
- Labor relation supervisor East Saint Louis school district 189;
- Member of Sen. Clayborne’s male mentoring program for disadvantaged youth which included taking over 150 Black students to historical black colleges and university yearly
Help create IDOT’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP) in 2009.
- Well versed in Executive Order 11246, Federal Highway Administration – section three –under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act;
- I sat DBE goals up and monitored workforce compliance for Federal Highway’s Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE) for fifteen years for IDOT;
- Organized information sharing meetings with prime contractors and DBEs while working for IDOT;
- I am a RUTAN certified interviewer.
- Operated the DBE Resource Center, creating opportunities for DBE’s to received technical support with reference to estimating, access to capital, and project management just to name a few of my responsibilities.
- Visited DBE, unions, and Prime Contractors at their offices, to foster relationships and break down race and gender barriers.
Frankly put, my entire life has mirrored the civil rights movement in America. I am a living witness and beneficiary of the struggle for equality and inclusion. These experiences, along with the rest of my resume, including being certified teacher in the state of Illinois, Labor Relations director for the East Saint Louis school district 189, City Manager for the city of East Saint Louis, Illinois, Chief of staff to the City Manager for East St. Louis, Illinois, I also served as the Purchasing Director for the city, I understand procurement. All of these positions and experiences has given me the opportunity to be an executive and administrative leader and trailblazer, who understands EQUITY and INCLUSION. That is why I am uniquely qualified to be a transformative member of this Commission.
I think this Commission is something that is sorely needed, and I feel that Governor Pritzker really wants to make this state of Illinois a model for EQUITY and INCLUSION. I believe that Governor Pritzker is sincere in his mission, and I believe that my credentials and experiences more than qualify me to sit at the table with other highly qualified members of the Commission. I want to partner with Governor Pritzker and this Commission to implement transformational changes that will make Illinois stand out as a beacon of equity and inclusion.
Sincerely,
