[2][3] Collins left the Illinois Senate to run for the Cook County Board of Commissioners in the 1998 election.

[4][5][6][7][8] Collins was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi as one of fourteen children,[1] and moved to Chicago, Illinois.

After narrowly prevailing in the Democratic primary against Kane County Coroner Mary Lou Kearns, she was defeated in the general election by Republican Loleta Didrickson.

As a Cook County Commissioner, Collins is Chairperson of the Business and Economic Development, Public Health, and Family Court and Juvenile Detention Center Committees.

Additionally, Collins is a member of nine committees: Construction, Litigation, Tax Delinquency, Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations, Rules, Health and Hospitals, Finance, Zoning and Building, and Roads and Bridges.