The KOCO family was left shocked and saddened by the passing in early April of Amina Green, a board member, staff member, parent-mentor coordinator and the essence of grace and uplift.

Amina recruited parents to be mentors in their children’s classrooms, thereby binding families in our community even closer together. She worked with parents weekly developing leadership skills that they could instill in their children. Amina served her roles with a smile and an encouraging word, making sure that everyone could discover their own worth and their hidden talents. In everything she did, Amina embodied the spirit of KOCO.

“Amina was very rooted in justice, and she stood strong in moments of injustice, in personal and civic life,” said Shannon Bennett, KOCO Executive Director. “Everybody went to her for help, both personal and professional. Amina was always there to fix things for people. She taught us how to stand up and fight but also how to take care of ourselves and be the change we want to see in the world. She was striving and pushed us to strive.”

Multitalented and multiskilled, Amina also excelled as an artist and as an industrial designer. She shared her passion by teaching a sewing class at KOCO. “You can’t describe her talents and gifts and magic and positivity,” said Jay Travis, a friend and former KOCO Executive Director. “Amina was phenomenal at everything. She was even a master youth program coordinator. She trained and certified youth and youth program staff all over the city of Chicago”.

Jitu Brown, Journey for Justice National Director and a longtime organizer with KOCO, remembered Amina’s “warrior spirit, and how she made that readily available to us. The beauty that was Amina is the beauty of KOCO. We are tempted to run from that beauty because everything else around us is so ugly. The strength and the beauty that Amina possessed – that KOCO possesses – is everlasting.”

Services for Amina Green will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2022.