Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)-Monday, January 9th, 2023
*Remarks As Prepared For Delivery*
Good afternoon and thank you all. As always, first, I have to give honor to God for keeping me, protecting me, and ordering my steps on this journey. It is an honor and privilege to stand before you today, to be sworn in for a second term as the Lieutenant Governor of the great state of Illinois.
Governor Pritzker has already acknowledged all of the Constitutional Officers and distinguished guests joining us today, so I will simply add how grateful I am for your leadership and presence here today. Thank you, as well, to Illinois Appellate Court Justice Fredrenna M. Lyle, for administering the Oath of Office, and to my co-pastor, Michelle Dodson, for your powerful prayer over me this morning.
My husband, Bryan, is one of the smartest, kindest and coolest brothers I know. He is my best friend, has a mind filled with random facts—apparently so he’s ready when Jeopardy calls, and reminds me daily that it’s not about WHO I am, but WHOSE I am. I thank God for you and I love you, Babe.
And to our 4 beautiful daughters—Tyler, Cassidy, Ryan and little Mackenzie, you are truly my 4 heartbeats. You help me to stay grounded in an often unpredictable world….and I love you for that. To my father, Henry, a Navy veteran who turns 90 this March—who marched in Selma alongside Dr. King and the late John Lewis, and always taught me that there is never a time to be silent in the face of injustice…
And to my mother, Velma, who 7 years ago joined the ancestors and didn’t make it to see me make history as the first Black Lieutenant Governor of our state…whose gentle hands and loving arms taught me that just because the world may seem cold and hard, doesn’t mean that we have to respond in kind. Thank you both for raising me to be the strong woman I am today.
To the dedicated state employees and leaders in our administration, including the entire team in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, I so appreciate you. Thank you for making me a better public servant. I also want to thank all of the election workers, volunteers, and voters who turned out in this election cycle to prove – when we needed to – that we don’t take our democracy for granted.
Lastly, thank you to our Governor, JB Pritzker, for your tireless commitment to our state and its people.
When we began this journey, we resolved to roll up our sleeves, do the hard work, and provide the governance and leadership our citizens deserve. We didn’t know what our first term had in store for us, yet we continue to meet every challenge we face. I am grateful your friendship and am proud to serve alongside you.
Four years ago, I stood before you and shared the story of my family history, recorded by my grandmother and tucked into the Bible upon which I took my oath of office then, and now. It spanned the roots planted by my great-great-grandfather William Stephens and his twin brother Daniel who were born into slavery and after Emancipation, cultivated a community by tending to the land…
To the story of my maternal grandfather, Wilbur Slaughter, one of the early members of the Dearborn Realtists that fought for the right of every person, no matter their color, to become homeowners. This history is a record of how my ancestors exemplified greatness, in the way wildflowers that burst through cracks in the sidewalk are a reminder that the Earth lives, breathes, and blossoms with us…and for us. The story of my family is one of deep commitment – to our communities and our fellow citizens.
My ancestors understood the importance of being a part of something larger – something bigger than ourselves.
This history that lives within me, that I carry in my DNA, shows me that even now as Lt. Governor it is not just about what I do, but who I am—and being who I am authentically and unapologetically.
In this role, I can dedicate myself to showing the people of Illinois the fullness of who YOU are, who WE are. I understand, just as my ancestors did over 100 years ago, that caring for each other is the only way forward.
I understand that regardless of our differences, we have a responsibility to each other. In a world that has put us on guard, we must always strive to see each other. As I have traveled our great state, I’ve talked with people who relate to my story and experiences, people who share my viewpoints—and also met many people who do not. Nevertheless, these people and stories all make up a beautiful tapestry that is our state – our community.
These experiences and interactions led me to ask myself – what can I learn from the stories of others? What can we all gain if we open our minds and our hearts to experiences different than our own? And, if we refuse to listen to each other, how do we give everyone a voice in the story we’re writing right now?
These questions brought me here today. And on the journey of these last four years, these questions revealed all that we can build together when we listen and learn from each other. In Cairo, a community deprived of the needs for a secure healthy life, that has gone 7 years without a grocery store, we went there and asked—how can we help? We reached out to those who got accustomed to being unheard, ignored or silenced because they are part of the story of Illinois.
I was focused on convening stakeholders and community members through our “Ag Connects Us All” initiative to demonstrate empathy is an action. And in the weeks to come, I will go back to Cairo to cut the ribbon on a cooperative grocery store that will be run BY the community, FOR the community.
As Chair of the Illinois Council on Women and Girls, we asked—how can we decide what’s best for the girls in our state if they don’t have an outlet to tell US what THEY need? That’s why we made space for them at the table, and we have now named the second round of 19 girls who will bring their diverse voices to advise us, the Governor and the General Assembly on supporting them and creating the safe spaces they need through the Girls Committee.
In communities across our state that have been harmed by the war on drugs and the violence and trauma caused by punitive policies, we asked—how can the groups most impacted be part of changing the narrative with us?
Through the Restore, Reinvest and Renew Program, we have invested more than $144 million back into communities, so that young people in Aurora and Peoria can play sports in after-school programs and learn the skills to thrive in school and beyond.
On the R3 Board that I chair, members of these communities in every corner of our state—including and especially those impacted by the justice system—have a seat beside me and I am so proud of the difference they have made with their insights.
Our path forward is about understanding that the issues that matter to so many of us are not bound by geography…nor are the solutions contained to one person or one idea.
From the student in Edwardsville who is studying to become a teacher to give back to the community by uplifting the next generation, to the daughter in Red Bud caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s—a story I related to deeply having cared for my own mother—we all have the power to build the future we want and deserve because we all have a voice.
This is what I want for our state, for our community. It’s more than an agenda, it’s being what our state, country – and world – need us to be. As I approach the next four years, I often think of the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which means, “I am because we are.”
We are each shaped by our relationships with each other. How we interact with each other should reflect our inherent human connectedness.
Ubuntu communicates a spirit of togetherness and a willingness to work towards a common goal for the sake of our humanity.
We can accomplish so much if we rise up and demonstrate the best of humanity.
Know that your heartache in the face of strife, your hopes for your children, your faith in tomorrow—I listened to you as you shared these feelings with me, and I carry them with me every day.
These reflections into your resilience and perspectives have driven the work we have done so far. And the work we have left to do is centered on bringing people together, creating opportunity for all, and carrying out a vision for Illinois that leaves no one behind.
My ancestors demonstrated a deep faith in their dreams and the world they were creating for their grandchildren. I have that same faith. Like each of you, I want to create a better world for my grandchildren, just as my grandparents did for me.
The roots from which I have grown and the shoulders upon which I stand have led me here today, in service to you, our state, and our country.
Illinois…I see you. I see you. Thank you for trusting me with this responsibility, and thank you for being a part of our story.
Comments