Lightford: Juneteenth should be a state holiday

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) continued her work to keep Black history alive in Illinois by creating a state holiday for Juneteenth National Freedom Day on June 19, as her legislation establishing the holiday passed the Senate Thursday.

“Juneteenth should be a state holiday – it’s the oldest national celebration of the freedom of all slaves in this country,” Lightford said. “It should be celebrated by all Illinois residents in order to highlight how far our society has come.”

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Lightford releases statement on the Derek Chauvin trial verdict

MAYWOOD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) issued the following statement regarding Officer Derek Chauvin’s convictions on second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges. 

“It’s difficult to express my feelings on this conviction. My mind is inundated with thoughts of the systemic racism and dehumanization that Black Americans have endured for generations, and the far too many Black lives lost at the hands of police.”

“I’m glad Derek Chauvin was so swiftly found guilty. However, the amount of uncertainty felt before learning the outcome, even with video evidence, is a testament to how much work we have left to do. The SAFE-T Act and the rest of the four-pillar Black Caucus agenda were crafted to begin that work, and we know we can’t stop there.”

“We can only claim victory when Black mothers no longer fear that their children may be terrorized and killed by ‘peace officers’ when they leave the house. If we are to call anything justice, it should be preserving the right Black and Brown people have to live. George Floyd had the right to live.”

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Education Town Hall

Lightford: Sexual assault survivors deserve privacy

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) passed two measures out of the Senate Criminal Law Committee Tuesday that would help preserve the privacy of survivors of sexual assault.

“Sexual assault survivors deserve their privacy,” Lightford said. “They have experienced intense trauma, and it’s absolutely their right to determine whom they share their stories with.”

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