ELGIN – To highlight older Illinoisans who excel in community service, education, the arts and the labor force, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is reminding residents to nominate an adult age 65 and over to the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame.

“We all have an older person in our life that has made an impact on us, whether it be a teacher, neighbor or family member,” Castro said. “Nominating them for this award is a great way to show your appreciation and spotlight all the ways older residents enrich our lives.”

The Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame was established by the General Assembly in 1994 to honor older adults’ accomplishments and contributions to their communities. Each year, four Illinoisans age 65 or older are inducted into the hall of fame for their work in community service, education, arts or the labor force.

The Illinois Department on Aging, the agency that accepts the nominations for the hall of fame, helps older Illinoisans and their caregivers by administering quality and culturally appropriate programs that promote partnerships and encourage independence, dignity and quality of life.

“It’s been a difficult couple of years, especially for our state’s older residents,” Castro said. “Recognizing an important person in your life by nominating them for this recognition could be just what someone needs.”

Nominations for 2022 inductees must be submitted by June 1. For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit www2.illinois.gov/aging/HallofFame.

CHICAGO – A measure to lay out qualification and education requirements to allow for certified midwives in Illinois was signed into law Tuesday. State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) sponsored the new law, which has been in the works for decades.

“The demand for home birth services has been on the rise, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and this law will help ensure that mothers who opt for a home birth can have one safely,” Castro said. “While I’m proud to have carried this measure across the finish line, I applaud all the hard work of the advocates and legislators who worked on this law before me.”

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ELGIN – Tuesday marked an important announcement from the White House about new commitments to support safe pregnancies and childbirth, an issue for which State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) has been a longtime advocate.

“Study after study have shown that Black mothers face disproportionate risks during and immediately following birth,” Castro said. “This last legislative session, I championed a law to help address that, and I am glad to see this issue being highlighted at the federal level.”

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ELGIN –State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) recently attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the new Illinois Minority Business Development Agency Businesses Center, a flagship location to help connect small businesses to resources that can help them thrive.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has only broadened the existing challenges minority-owned businesses face when it comes to things like procurement and growing their markets,” Castro said. “It’s exciting to see Elgin become a hub for development with the opening of this new MBDA office.”

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