Jacqueline Y. Collins
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Y. Collins is a Democratic
member of the Illinois Senate
, representing the 16th district since 2003.
, Mississippi
, Collins earned her undergraduate degree in journalism
from Northwestern University
. She then worked for the Citizen Community Newspaper and CBS-TV news.
Collins returned to school when she pursued two concurrent degrees from Harvard University
. In June 2001, she received her master’s degree in public administration
from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government
. Two years later, she earned her master’s degree in theological studies
from Harvard’s Divinity School
.
. In 1984, Collins served as a press liaison for the Reverend Jesse Jackson
during the Democratic National Convention
and as a press secretary to Congressman Gus Savage
.
From 1987 to 1999, Collins volunteered as Minister of Communications for St. Sabina Catholic Church. During this time, the church launched a large scale public awareness campaign against alcohol and tobacco companies, and advertising agencies that targeted inner-city neighborhoods. As a result of this campaign, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance banning alcohol and tobacco billboards in the city.
In the summer of 2001, Collins worked as a Legislative Fellow for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
in Washington, D.C.
Collins successfully sponsored and passed legislation to support Illinois’ working families, protect children and assist senior citizens. She highlights her work to extend limitations for civil and criminal prosecution of sex crimes against children; legislation allowing more Illinois senior citizens to qualify for the Homestead Exemption based on the number of days they lived at their residence; and a resolution creating a 17-member commission to study and document racial and gender discrimination in hiring or contracting on state public construction projects.
Because of the genocide and terrorism that is taking place in Darfur
, Collins authored and sponsored legislation, passed by the state government, that would prohibit Illinois state investment in companies doing business in the Republic of the Sudan. The legislation was the first of its kind in the United States, and has been used as a model for six similar bills.
Collins is Chairperson of the Senate Financial Institutions Committee. She serves on the Appropriations I, Housing and Community Affairs, and the Revenue Committees. She is also a member of the Governor’s Racial Profiling Task Force and the Governor’s State-wide Community Safety Re-entry commission which deals with reducing recidivism amongst individuals recently paroled from Illinois correctional facilities.
Collins is the only politician to vote against the Online Gaming Cancellation Law.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
, representing the 16th district since 2003.
Early life
Born in McCombMcComb, Mississippi
McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Collins earned her undergraduate degree in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. She then worked for the Citizen Community Newspaper and CBS-TV news.
Collins returned to school when she pursued two concurrent degrees from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. In June 2001, she received her master’s degree in public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
. Two years later, she earned her master’s degree in theological studies
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from Harvard’s Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
.
Public service
Before Collins went back to school to get her masters’ degrees, she had a long history of public service. She worked on the massive voter registration drive that helped elect Harold WashingtonHarold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
. In 1984, Collins served as a press liaison for the Reverend Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
during the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
and as a press secretary to Congressman Gus Savage
Gus Savage
Augustus Alexander "Gus" Savage is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois....
.
From 1987 to 1999, Collins volunteered as Minister of Communications for St. Sabina Catholic Church. During this time, the church launched a large scale public awareness campaign against alcohol and tobacco companies, and advertising agencies that targeted inner-city neighborhoods. As a result of this campaign, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance banning alcohol and tobacco billboards in the city.
In the summer of 2001, Collins worked as a Legislative Fellow for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Senate career
Collins was elected senator in 2002.Collins successfully sponsored and passed legislation to support Illinois’ working families, protect children and assist senior citizens. She highlights her work to extend limitations for civil and criminal prosecution of sex crimes against children; legislation allowing more Illinois senior citizens to qualify for the Homestead Exemption based on the number of days they lived at their residence; and a resolution creating a 17-member commission to study and document racial and gender discrimination in hiring or contracting on state public construction projects.
Because of the genocide and terrorism that is taking place in Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
, Collins authored and sponsored legislation, passed by the state government, that would prohibit Illinois state investment in companies doing business in the Republic of the Sudan. The legislation was the first of its kind in the United States, and has been used as a model for six similar bills.
Collins is Chairperson of the Senate Financial Institutions Committee. She serves on the Appropriations I, Housing and Community Affairs, and the Revenue Committees. She is also a member of the Governor’s Racial Profiling Task Force and the Governor’s State-wide Community Safety Re-entry commission which deals with reducing recidivism amongst individuals recently paroled from Illinois correctional facilities.
Collins is the only politician to vote against the Online Gaming Cancellation Law.
External links
- Illinois General Assembly - Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D) 16th District official IL Senate website
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Jacqueline Y. 'Jacqui' Collins (IL) profile
- Follow the Money - Jacqueline Y (Jacqui) Collins
- Illinois State Senate Democrats - Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins profile