Born in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood to a laborer with the Chicago Public Schools. Turner attended Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He later obtained a Master’s degree in Social Justice from Lewis University in Lockport, Illinois.

After college, Turner returned to the community and helped create a local Chamber of Commerce to encourage economic development and job creation, worked with the Chicago Archdiocese Campaign for Human Development committee, and was a founding member of the Community Communication Associates, a local group that provided technical assistance and training for nonprofit organizations.

…an investigator for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Turner focused on consumer scams, white collar fraud and crimes involving official misconduct by public officials.

He then became an investigator for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, where he focused on consumer scams, white collar fraud and crimes involving official misconduct by public officials. Turner ran for state representative as an independent democrat and continues to be a independent moderate voice to this day.

Turner is best known for the creation of the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Act, which provides more than $20 million each year to help thousands of low-income Illinois families afford to make repairs to their homes, avoid homelessness, purchase their first home or live in safe decent housing. He also championed the Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit program, which leverages over $95 million dollars in resources towards workforce and affordable housing.

Other major legislative victories led by Turner include legislation that would require power companies to produce 5% of their power from renewable energy resources by 2010 and 15% by 2020.

Turner has served on the Committees of Labor and Commerce, Energy and Environment, Consumer Protection, Insurance, Criminal Justice and Housing. In addition to his work in the General Assembly, he is a board member of many social service nonprofit groups, including:

Turner has received numerous awards from organizations that recognize his commitment to making Illinois a great place to live and work. He has received steadfast support from the Illinois Farm Bureau, business associations and organized labor groups for his commitment to a better standard of living for all, regardless of their ethnicity, income, gender or where they live in Illinois.

Turner and his wife Rosalyn raised their two sons, Arthur and Aaron, in North Lawndale only a block from his childhood home.