2023 Chicago Runoff Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

When I was eight years old, my father died suddenly. My brother and I were raised by a single mom and I helped take care of my little brother. We lived in public housing and relied on Social Security and food stamps. I know what it’s like to struggle. Too many people are struggling right now, and I will fight for them like I always have, because it’s personal to me. I’ve never forgotten what it was like to struggle, so I am always going to work to help people who need it.

Like many in our community, I couldn’t afford college, so I joined the Marines where I proudly served my country. I turned 18 in boot camp and served overseas in Desert Storm. When I got home after my service, I drove a bread delivery truck for a decade. I was elected to union leadership by the other workers to help fight for a livable wage for everyone.

People were working paycheck to paycheck at the factory, just like people are today. Many of them didn’t speak English, so I helped them understand their contracts and fought for a livable wage. I went on to work with small businesses to create thousands of good-paying jobs for women, veterans, and minority workers. Now I’m on the city council, where I’ve expanded affordable housing in Chicago, led efforts to pass Universal Basic Income to put money directly into the pockets of low-income families, and helped deliver better wages for Chicago airport workers. These are real results for people and that’s why I’m running for Alderman: to deliver opportunities for working families, safer streets, and more investments for our communities.

What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?

I’m proud of the work the office has done in the 36th Ward, especially with our responsiveness to the needs of our residents. We’ve worked to increase investments in school and job opportunities in low-income neighborhoods, in addition to helping women and minority-small businesses get back on their feet following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we have made great strides over the past few years, the matter of public safety and police intervention still needs to be addressed. Getting more properly trained and accountable police officers on the streets, as well as establishing more non-violence programs, will help reduce gun violence and spread awareness throughout the community.

What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

Public safety is the top concern in my community. As a former Marine, I know the benefits of strong public safety systems and how additional training and resources equip a squad for success. I will continue working to get more officers on the force, modernize training and technology, and increase the tools our public safety professionals use to catch criminals.

I am appropriately focused on investments in our communities and have fought for a focus on neighborhoods like mine that are primarily represented by Latinos. We need to provide affordable housing so neighborhood families thrive and spur more economic growth. 

What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?

It’s important to me that I see and work with my constituents directly. If I’m not available to the folks I represent, well then I’m not doing a very good job representing them. This means a well-staffed district office with an open-door policy. More than that, I want to make sure I’m available to the people who can’t make it into the office by implementing a robust online communications system to keep in touch with all my constituents and ensure that I’m listening and learning from what my district wants and needs.  

Do you believe in the tradition of aldermanic prerogative, which gives each City Council member the final say on issues in their ward?

I believe that my job is to take the input of the community and present it on issues such as development. Someone has to make a decision and I have heard from my constituents that they want to speak to that person to provide input.

Should the $1.9 billion budget for the Chicago Police Department increase, stay the same or decrease?

We’ve gone through two and a half years of historic stress on the public and public safety professionals, while also requiring everyone to do more with less. I know shifting officers off of a steady beat can mean increased crime rates and I don’t want to play a game of whack-a-mole. As a former Marine, I know the benefits of strong and dedicated public safety systems. Therefore I will be working to get more officers in the force and increase modern technology usage. This will not only alleviate the burden on sworn officers to catch criminals, but it will also keep them accountable.

Should the city raise the Real Estate Transfer Tax on properties sold for more than $1 million to fund programs to help unhoused Chicagoans? 

I am not a supporter of property tax revenue streams dedicated to specific uses, however, we have to get our federal, state, and county officials to assist us with addressing the unhoused. If we can use some of the RETT as a federal/state match to garner more dollars, then yes. There are unhoused veterans who have fought to protect this democracy and it’s a shame that our federal officials aren’t providing resources to local government so we can ensure we treat all humans with dignity. 

Should the city open and operate mental health clinics to provide free care to Chicagoans?

Yes. I’m proud of the work that Chicago has done to provide mental health services to the general public. As we continue to build our mental health vision, I would like to see an expansion of accessible treatment facilities and resources in lower-income and high-crime neighborhoods that are in the most need of these services. I believe targeting these populations will not only benefit the health and well-being of individuals and families in need of them but the community as a whole. 

How should Chicago build the 120,000 homes it needs for low- and moderate-income Chicagoans?

I am somebody that grew up in affordable housing and knows how important it is to families. I support additional funds spent on affordable housing, removing barriers restricting new housing, and taking a holistic approach. 

What do you see as potential solutions to address the number of shootings in Chicago?

As a former Marine, I know the benefits of strong and dedicated public safety systems and how great training and adequate resources equip a squad for success. Therefore I will be working to get more officers on the force, modernize our technology and training programs, and increase the tools our public safety professionals have to catch criminals. I want to make sure that CPD is recruiting veterans that are separating from the military after serving our country honorably.

I also know we cannot expect anything to change unless we strenuously invest in our communities. I strongly support infrastructure and job training programs that act as force multipliers in our battle against crime.