Services Set for Teacher Who Helped African Immigrants

The city of Chicago and people throughout the Black diaspora are mourning the loss of a beloved teacher and humanitarian. Brent Hamlet, who had a passion for teaching and inspiring young people passed away on Sept. 24th. Hamlet worked as an elementary school program manager at Horizons for Youth.

“Brent taught us the power of the most radical act of all — the act of love — and our communities are better because of his love and service. May he rest in eternal peace,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former Chicago Public Schools teacher himself.

Hamlet also worked to help African immigrants adjust to life in America. He assisted by connecting them with housing, education and employment opportunities while working for the United African Organization. The UAO is a coalition of African community-based organizations that promotes social and economic justice, civic participation, and empowerment of African immigrants and refugees in Illinois. The organization is currently pushing for a comprehensive and sustainable immigration policy for the United States. Tara Weinberg worked with Hamlet at UAO back in 2011.

“He was such a kind and sweet soul,” Weinberg wrote as a tribute to her friend. “I loved hanging out with him around Hyde Park and Kenwood, and doing our rounds with African immigrants and refugees all over the city of Chicago. He gave so much to us all, to his students and to struggles for a more just world.”

After graduating from Hales Franciscan High School in 2006, Hamlet went on to attend Alcorn State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Arts, History and English Education. He graduated from Alcorn State in 2011. He was studying to earn a Master’s Degree in school counseling from Chicago State University at the time of his death.

The services for Hamlet are as follows:

The prepast will be held on October 6, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. and end at 5:30 p.m., at Church of the Good Shepherd Congregational UCC, located at 5700 S. Prairie in Chicago. The wake will go from 5-6 p.m. with funeral services set to begin directly thereafter. Hamlet will be buried at Mount Vernon Memorial Estates in Lemont, Illinois.