The Chicago City Council just got a new member.

On Monday, alderpeople approved Anthony Quezada with a 32-11 vote as the new alderperson of the 35th Ward, despite some opposition from City Council members over an anti-Black slur he wrote on a social media post in 2014.

Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed 29-year-old Quezada to replace former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who is now the head of the Chicago Park District.

Quezada represents parts of Logan Square, Hermosa, Avondale, Irving Park and Albany Park. He joined “Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices” to discuss his new role — and the pushback he’s getting from some of his new colleagues.

On serving the area where he grew up on the city’s Northwest Side:

“It means so much to me. It’s been a great honor to be able to serve our community in my neighborhood in so many different ways: as a community organizer, as the 35th Ward Democratic committeeman, most recently as the Cook County commissioner of the 8th District. But now as the alderman, representing large portions of Logan Square, places that I grew up, that I was raised in, that have raised me and developed me into the leader and person I am today — it is an extreme honor. I feel so happy to come into work every single day.”

On why he’s the right person to lead the 35th Ward:

“The reason why I’m ready is because I’m from this neighborhood. I know this neighborhood, I know the issues impacting residents, the concerns, the dreams, the aspirations, but I’ve also been a coalition builder. I have played a pivotal role in building our Northwest Side progressive coalition of grassroots community-based organizations, leaders, residents — and so, I know that I’m ready because I have earned the trust of my community. … As someone who’s worked for the previous alderman for six and a half years, I know how to fill potholes, cut trees, put in service requests and I’m really excited to be doing that.”

On addressing the racial slur he wrote on social media in 2014:

“It’s something that I deeply regret. It’s something that I’ve apologized for publicly and in private with members of the Chicago Black Caucus. You know, this was a conversation between friends. There’s no excuse for that word. It is not a reflection of my values or my character. And my record as a community organizer and as a legislator, I think, speaks for that.”

On the pushback he’s received from his colleagues about his social media post:

“I think the remarks that my colleagues made were very clear. You know, their votes weren’t against me personally. I think it was a matter of principle for them, and I respect that, and I look forward to working with them. … I’ve had so many positive conversations with the majority of the City Council. I’ve issued my apology publicly and through my actions, I think I will earn the trust of my colleagues.”

On the plan to fill Quezada’s vacancy as 8th District Cook County commissioner:

“Per law and per county ordinance, what has to happen is that the representatives of the local political party, in this case the Democratic Party, have to convene. So, the Democratic committee people of the 8th District who constitute the 8th District must convene a meeting to appoint my vacancy. What we have done on the Northwest Side, in these most recent years, is we’ve held democratic transparent processes, a process that we like to call ‘a people’s appointment process.’ It’s a process that we went through to nominate and endorse our newly elected state Sen. Graciela Guzmán, and it’s something that we’re going to engage in as well. So we’re gonna provide opportunity for the public to engage local political organizations and stakeholders, to put their name forward and to be vetted by the community and then be endorsed by our Democratic committee people.”

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