2019 Chicago Voters' Guide

Candidate Q&A

What is your vision for this office?

My vision for this office is to create a transparent City Hall that is more responsive and accountable to every person, not just the wealthy and well-connected. While parts of Chicago are prospering, too many areas of the city are starving for resources and are in crisis. I know that we can and must address these disparities so that we spread opportunity to every neighborhood. 

Since I entered this race in May, I’ve spoken with tens of thousands of people all over the city, so I know that Chicagoans want change. We want a break from the past. And we want a new, independent leader who will empower communities to join together to solve our city’s greatest challenges such as violence, lack of high quality neighborhood schools, regressive taxes, and the pension crisis.

To build that more responsive and accountable City Hall, I will start with implementing new ethics rules—such as implementing term limits, banning elected and appointed officials from profiting from public service, and bringing much-needed oversight to the workers’ compensation program—and create opportunities for Chicagoans to have a real voice in government—such as through an elected school board and civilian oversight of the police. I know we can build a City Hall that works for every person and every neighborhood when we join together and fight for this shared goal.

What is the most pressing issue facing constituents, and how can you help address it?

The most pressing issue facing Chicagoans is inequality. I got in this race seven months ago because I saw disparities leaving entire neighborhoods and generations behind. Public safety, quality schools, economic opportunity, and good-paying jobs should be rights of every Chicagoan; however, for too long, they have been available only to a select few. These disparities have created an “us versus them” mentality all across our city, where many people believe that to invest here, we cannot invest there, or that to provide security and opportunity for some, we must deny security and opportunity to others.

I will address this problem by speaking transparently about the disparities that exist now and taking action to remedy injustices past and present. That means funding schools that have been under-resourced, creating job opportunities and job training programs, working with our neighborhoods to spark economic development and grow small businesses, and more. In approaching any problem, in creating any solution, in assessing the success of our City government along any measure, equity and inclusion will be my north stars.