1. Tell us about yourself
(Provide us with a brief summary about who you are, how long you have lived in the ward, what made you decide to run, and/or why you want to be an alderman.)
I am the CEO of the OMNI Medical Student Training Program and am running for Alderman of the 26th Ward. I have been a member of the Humboldt Park community as a business owner and resident for more than eight years and have been working tirelessly during that time to make the changes in the community that need to be made.
As a private citizen, I created programs to benefit children, working families and seniors, as well as women business owners and those in need. The 26th ward is undergoing more change than nearly every other ward and requires new leadership to ensure every voice is heard.
2. Tell us about the women in your life
(Suggestions include: Share with us something about the importance of women in politics, who is your female political idol, who is/was the most influential female in your life, what challenges have you faced as a woman running for alderman and how have you overcome them, and/or any community involvement around women’s services, women’s rights.)
The most influential female in my life is my mother. She always was a pillar of strength for me growing up and is a driving factor in my decision making. Before I do anything I think to myself, would this make my mother proud? She made a life for our family in a new country where she knew no one, but being in a foreign land never broke her spirit. She always made the best of any situation, and I try and live my life the same way.
As a woman running for Alderman I have faced a great deal of push back from the community, especially as a woman of color. People have called me names and slandered me but I keep my head held high and continue to push forward. It is easy to let the criticism to get to you but surrounding myself with a great support system and other strong women makes it much easier.
Helping other women has always been a priority of mine. I founded Women Unite Chicago, a social meetup group that gathers once a month to discuss our lives, businesses and uplift and educate each other. I have worked with a number of women’s shelters to provide clothes, hygiene products, and much more to help them with their own programs.
3. Tell us about your Ward
(Briefly provide our audience with information about your ward. Suggestions include: What neighborhoods your ward covers; what is unique about your ward; landmarks; favorite places to hang out - consider highlighting women-owned businesses; the makeup of the community - including women’s organizations and services; what’s the vibe like, what is healthy and successful about your ward; and/or what is the most concerning issue impacting your ward.)
The 26th Ward encompasses the Humboldt Park neighborhood, parts of Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village and Logan Square. It is home to the iconic Puerto Rican flags that bookend Division St and very rich in history and culture. Another focal point is Humboldt Park and its lagoon. It beautifully encompasses long standing businesses that have become neighborhood staples as well as new small businesses that are propped up by the support of the community. There are many female owned businesses in the ward, including the restaurant Split Rail, The Overlook Place an art gallery and Starship a full-service salon.
Humboldt Park currently ranks 37th among Chicago neighborhoods in affordable housing options. This lack of leadership on this critical issue needs to be corrected. Affordable housing is a commitment we owe to the people of the ward, and to the cultural diversity that makes our community unique and worth maintaining. It has a crime problem that is exacerbated by a lack of trust between the police and the community they are sworn to serve.
4. Platform Questions
A. Schools: Chicago’s school population is declining. This means there are fewer students to educate, but the population shifts are not equally distributed. How will you ensure that students in all parts of the city have access to quality and safe education while taking into consideration changing population and the impact of that?
One of the best ways to ensure equal opportunities for all students in the city is by having a school board that is fair and balanced to ensure that everyone is considered when time to make pivotal decisions. A hybrid school board which would consist of an even numbered of members, ⅓ elected by the public, ⅓ appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council, and ⅓ selected by the CTU. disputes which result in a tie would be decided by a vote in the city council.
I have been fortunate enough to have the resources to support educational initiatives in my community—including the after-school program at Roberto Clemente High school—which provide opportunities for students, give them a positive outlet after school, and provide single parents and families with two working parents peace of mind that their children are engage in constructive activities after school. I will work to ensure that we are investing in education—every reliable study indicates that spending on education provide a significant return on investment in terms of social costs. I will continue to fight to ensure that we are investing in every child in Chicago, regardless of race, income, and zip code; this position has the benefit of not only being the moral approach, it is the fiscally responsible approach.
B. Environment: Chicago faces a crisis of water infrastructure and service. Chicago has more lead lines than any other city in the United States and city testing of Chicago homes with water meters has found nearly 1 in 5 have lead in their tap water. In 2015, City Hall considered privatizing the water system after an unsolicited pitch from investment firm Goldman Sachs. Research has shown that privatization of water utilities often see rate increases, workforce reductions, and a backlog of maintenance issues. In Illinois, a typical household with Lake Michigan water pays more than twice for water service using a privatized utility service than from using a public municipality. Additionally, in 2016, 6,351 households had their water shut off, with the shutoffs affecting over 16,000 individuals. What is your plan to address the challenges that Chicago’s water infrastructure system faces? How will you work towards providing safe, accessible, and affordable water service to Chicago residents? (Community Collaborator: Food and Water Action)
We are going to have to replace all service line pipes and we must find a way to do so which addresses the cost concerns of property owners and also is done in such a way as to avoid the environmental impact of removal and replacement which can cause additional lead being released into the water system. I support a program which has been used in other Midwestern states which includes cost sharing and installment payment options for property owners.
C. Women-Owned Businesses: As showcased by the numerous reports by the City’s Inspector General over the years, there is a perception by many contractors that the lists of women and minority owned businesses are inaccurate and include many businesses that aren’t truly women and/or minority owned. This reputation discourages voluntary use of the list and also may mean that true women and minority owned businesses are not receiving the benefits of the list. What are your thoughts on continuing the use of the list and, if you believe it should continue to be used, should there be changes to how the list is kept and are there ways the City of Chicago can increase confidence in the accuracy of the list?
I believe that this list is a great place to start but there should definitely be changes to it to make it more accurate. A more accurate representation of women owned and minority owned businesses is required to allow opportunity across the board to ensure they receive support and business.
D. Community Safety: Community safety is critical for residents and visitors in any ward in the City of Chicago. Recently, the city entered into a consent decree to address policies, training, practices and accountability of the Chicago Police Department in an attempt to ensure police reform. While our homicide rate is not the highest in the US and gun violence in Chicago has been declining in recent years, it continues to garner national attention and some neighborhoods have actually seen an increase in murders over the past year. Youth are among the highest at risk for violence and women often bear the burden of keeping children in their families and community safe. Recognizing that the issues surrounding safety are complex and multi-pronged, what is your highest priority with relating to safety of your ward’s residents and who are you receiving advice from to address that priority? (Feel free to include any necessary context for your answer - context may, but does not need to, include citywide considerations, feasibility of implementation, political challenges, concerns regarding overzealous implementation of safety protocol, or anything else necessary to understand your answer.)
I live in a community where we are paying the price for a community and a police department that do not work together enough to combat crime. The consent decree, I believe is a positive step towards ensuring that police receive the training necessary, and institute policies as result, which foster better understanding and more constructive communications between the citizens of the 26th--and throughout the city--and the police department.
We need a leader in the 26th ward who is experienced in bringing diverse constituencies together for the common good. We have a crime problem that is exacerbated by a lack of trust between the police and the community they are sworn to serve. I want to work to find common ground, to bring the community and law enforcement together--along with community stakeholders and social service organizations--to help band together to make our community a safer place to live and work.
5. Closing comments
In closing, bringing about the changes my ward is in need of, is my sole mission and goal. I will work tirelessly to make the necessary changes and be a voice for all people. Making sure everyone is served equally and fairly is my top priority as Alderman.