The Daily Northwestern - Evanston Election Guide 2023

DARLENE CANNON

DARLENE CANNON

has fewer Black residents.

Cannon hopes to expand Evanston’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, which she described as “extremely weak,” to require developments to include more low-cost units with accommodations for different size families.

If elected, Cannon said she would hold office hours with constituents outside of ward meetings to promote conversation.

Darlene Cannon grew up in the 2nd Ward, attending Evanston/Skokie School District 65 schools before going to Evanston Township High School. That history, she said, would help her connect to her constituents should she win her City Council race.

“I’m running a progressive grassroots campaign, and it’s really based on people power,” she said.

Cannon is running to represent the 2nd Ward against current Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd) and District 65 teacher Patricia Gregory. Cannon is focusing on improving equitable housing options and city communication in her campaign.

Cannon serves as a member of the Citizens’ Network of Protection and the Equity and Empowerment Commission, where she’s worked on an ordinance to protect homeowners from aggressive real estate developers.

As a member of City Council, Cannon said she would address “the elephant in the room” in Evanston: the declining Black population and racial inequity. Evanston was 16.1% Black in the 2020 census compared to 22.5% in 2000.

Cannon said the lack of affordable housing is part of the reason Evanston

“(Evanston) is a very sought-after community, but often, there’s a lot of luxury being built, which elevates the cost of rent,” Cannon said. “We need to really push to make sure that they’re building what we need.”

Community organizer Chris White said they support Cannon because of her housing and equity-oriented policies.

“I think there’s a real struggle in Evanston between constantly using a buzzword versus actually making a plan to make equity happen,” they said. “I think (Cannon) is more on the side of having a real concrete plan.”

White said they think Evanston needs strong Black leaders like Cannon to head the movement.

2nd Ward resident Bruce Allen King, who created Feeding the Village Evanston with Cannon to combat food insecurity, said Cannon best understands the needs of Evanston’s marginalized communities.

“Residents in this city are very smart, and they have a vast variety of backgrounds and experiences,” she said. “We could use their insight.”

Moreover, Cannon said she thinks Northwestern needs to be a “better neighbor” to Evanston.

She noted that though the University has its own police force, it relies on Evanston Police Department and Evanston Fire Department for backup.

“I think that it would be only fair and right for (NU) to give a substantial donation,” she said. “Actually putting it in writing that this is what (it’s) going to be committed to giving to this community going forward.”

Cannon said she supports the Fair Share Northwestern partnership, which stipulates that as a tax-exempt university, the University should establish a payment in lieu of taxes.

DARLENE CANNON

“I think hands need to be stretched out to help those who are considered a lot less fortunate,” he said.

In order to reach out to everyone, Cannon said she emphasizes door-to-door communication and in-person connection.

She said collaboration is key among City Council members, and that the council can work together to improve the lives of residents.

“I love Evanston, and I feel that we can do better,” Cannon said. “We can do better as a council, and we can do better as a community to address and support our residents.”

— Lily Ogburn

“I’m running a progressive grassroots campaign, and it’s really based on people power.”

PATRICIA GREGORY PATRICIA GREGORY

As a gym teacher and union representative at Lincoln Elementary School, Parks and Recreation Board member and community “role model,” Patricia Gregory said she’s learned the importance of listening above all else.

“Everyone’s life experience is different,” Gregory said. “My plan is to make sure that when I sit there and I listen to what other people have to say, I can chime in and be a good representation of the people I serve.”

For Gregory, who is running against Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd) and challenger Darlene Cannon, listening to the needs of constituents is key. Gregory said she was partially inspired to run because of the efforts of past councilmembers — like former Ald. Dennis Drummer (2nd) — to discuss policy and community issues with constituents.

If elected, Gregory said she will focus on protecting small businesses and supporting houseless individuals, especially children. As a teacher, she said she’s worked with a significant number of houseless students, an issue she’s seeking to address on council.

Gregory, who has been an educator for more than 25 years, said current efforts to address houselessness in Evanston have not worked. More than 300 students in Evanston/Skokie School District 65 are houseless this academic year, according to District

65 social worker Allison Harned.

“A lot of these nonprofits need to address the people that they say they do and not just keep people away and not just have people that they know, but actually help some of these (houseless) people,” Gregory said.

She also said City Council should meet with small business owners throughout Evanston to discuss how the city’s remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act should be distributed. Evanston received almost $43.2 million in ARPA funds over 2021 and 2022 — and about $5.2 million have yet to be allocated.

Gregory said she used to canvass the 5th Ward every two years as part of Foster Park Neighbors to learn what facilities or community spaces community members want constructed.

She conducts similar activities as a Parks and Recreation Board member, she said, working to determine how Evanston recreational services, like the forthcoming Evanston Skate Park, can improve.

“I like change,” Gregory said. “I like to see things moving and support things that are positive and will keep our community viable.”

Bettye Cohns, a member of the board of directors and former executive director at licensed preschool center Reba Early Learning Center, said she met Gregory in 2014. Gregory became involved and supportive

of teachers in the space almost immediately, Cohns said.

Cohns called Gregory, who joined the board of directors as a parent representative in 2019, an active listener.

“I just know that she would definitely be a good person to have as a councilmember just because she does listen,” Cohns said. “She does know what the needs of the community are in terms of the most underserved and because she works with children on a daily basis.”

Former Lincoln Elementary School teacher Kathy Pouper worked with Gregory, whom she said is held in “high regard” in the 2nd Ward for her efforts to support students both inside and outside the classroom through programs like youth running program Girls on the Run.

She added that Gregory’s community work extends beyond the classroom to her neighbors as well.

“She’s an advocate for people who need advocacy,” Pouper said. “She’s gone above and beyond to advocate for people who needed it.”

— Pavan Acharya

“When I sit there and I listen to what other people have to say, I can chime in and be a good representation of the people I serve.”

PATRICIA GREGORY

KRISSIE HARRIS KRISSIE HARRIS

said. “When you come through a lineage of successful individuals that legitimately care about the community … that’s irreplaceable.”

Harris said her priority for City Council is safety: making sure policies, procedures and standards are “up to par” and “in line with the value of the city.” As a councilmember, she said she was involved in hiring the new Evanston Police Chief Schenita Stewart.

and Mary Wilkerson retired, Holmes added.

“(Harris) has demonstrated to the community that she’s a good listener, that she’s concerned about the community, that she knows what the issues are and that she’s willing to work to resolve whatever it is that she can in partnership with the rest of the council,” she said.

Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd), a fifth-generation Evanston resident, said she comes from a “family of service,” bringing a strong sense of community into her work.

In September 2022, Mayor Daniel Biss appointed Harris to City Council following former Ald. Peter Braithwaite’s (2nd) resignation. She’s now running for reelection against Evanston/Skokie School District 65 teacher Patricia Gregory and activist Darlene Cannon, and is focusing on city safety.

Harris is a trustee of the Second Baptist Church and has served on the boards of YWCA Evanston/North Shore and the Dajae Coleman Foundation. She has worked at Oakton College for about 25 years, where she is currently the manager of student life and campus inclusion.

Clarence D. Weaver, Sr., co-owner at C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor and 2nd Ward resident, said Harris is the “glue” of the ward.

“She comes from a family of people that really thinks things through and cares about the community,” Weaver

Harris is also working to standardize rubrics for City Council to use in decision making, she said, to ensure everyone follows the same process when assessing initiatives based on facts.

Following the 39-page report released by Black city employees in November sharing concerns about discrimination and workplace mistreatment, Harris said she hopes to improve the work environment in the future.

“A lot of this happened before I got there, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fix, can’t do anything about the past,” she said. “Moving forward, making sure that these don’t happen, not only to this marginalized group, but to anyone.”

Former Ald.

Weaver and Holmes both called Harris transparent and communicative.

Harris said she values relationship-building with her constituents and fellow councilmembers.

“I’m gonna give you my honest opinion, all the way from the president of (Oakton College) to the president of the United States to the custodian,” Harris said. “People will tell you: ‘You know where Krissie stands.’”

Harris said she has noticed the city hires consultants for many projects and thinks the city should hire more staff instead.

KRISSIE HARRIS

Delores Holmes (5th) said she has known Harris since Harris was a child. Holmes said she has observed her making a difference in the community for more than 20 years.

Harris and her mother stepped in to take over the African American Youth Achievement Awards once Holmes

She also said the city should “get a little better handle of money” by bringing organizations and social service agencies together to minimize duplication of services.

“She’s one of the nine people I would have at a table,” Weaver said. “I live in the 2nd Ward, and I don’t think there could be a better candidate for my ward, personally, than Krissie Harris.”

—

Kara Peeler

“People will tell you: ‘You know where Krissie stands.’”

KATHY HAYES KATHY HAYES

For Kathy Hayes, running to represent Evanston’s 9th Ward on City Council is a full-circle moment. More than 25 years ago, she was working for a local political campaign: Richard Devine’s campaign for Cook County State’s Attorney.

“I thought that political advocacy was very important not only to me personally, as a person who could be considered as disenfranchised, but also important to other people that are like me,” Hayes said.

On Devine’s campaign team, Hayes did community outreach, talking with people throughout Cook County about what they hoped to see from the state’s attorney. Devine would go on to fill the seat from 1996 to 2008.

Hayes, who received her master’s degree in social work at Loyola University Chicago, said working in the campaign showed her the “fearlessness” of public servants.

This year, Hayes leads a campaign of her own, focused on housing accessibility, community participation and criminal justice. She’s campaigning against Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th), who was appointed by Mayor Daniel Biss last February to represent the ward following former Ald. Cicely Fleming’s resignation.

Endorsed by Fleming and former Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, Hayes has local service experience. For the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, she previously worked both as a sexual assault and domestic violence

witness court advocate and later as an African American community liaison.

Hayes’ sister, Belva Joyce Hill, said these varied work experiences enable Hayes to see the big picture as a problem solver.

“It allows her to see people, places and things from different objective points of view, and that helps a lot,” Hill said, describing her sister as diligent, meticulous and humble.

Hill and Hayes grew up in the 5th Ward, a community they both described as close-knit and familial.

That’s why Hayes’ platform centers around keeping families in Evanston.

“Evanston needs a lot of not only mixed housing and available housing, but people need to be able to stay in their housing and become rooted in this community,” Hayes said. “From newcomers to the city to those who have been here for four or five generations, like my family and myself.”

If elected to City Council, Hayes said she wants to strengthen reentry programs for people exiting the prison system. For people who are formerly incarcerated, she said it can be difficult to secure employment and housing, and reentry programs provide necessary wraparound services.

Mary Kay Dawson, who met Hayes in 1995 while serving as Devine’s political director, said Hayes’ strong work ethic was especially apparent in her work at John

H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County’s Department of Pharmacy.

As an administrative analyst, Hayes helped provide medications to uninsured and under-insured patients for clinics, including psychiatry. According to Dawson, she would stay hours after her shift ended.

“I used to call and say, ‘Why are you still at work?’” Dawson said. “It’s because there was people still waiting, and she wouldn’t just leave.”

The next City Council cohort will make decisions regarding numerous Evanston initiatives, including the Restorative Housing Program.

Hayes said she is proud of former Ald. Robin Rue Simmons’ (5th) work jumpstarting the city’s reparations initiative, and she would hope to address challenges to make the program better.

“Coming out of the 5th Ward, which was redlined and documented quite well, it’s important for me as an African American that this justice come forth,” she said. “But it is not a stop point … Justice is an ongoing journey and we have to face that with courage.”

— Jorja Siemons

“Political advocacy was very important not only to me personally, as a person who could be considered as disenfranchised, but also important to other people that are like me.”

KATHY HAYES

JUAN GERACARIS

JUAN GERACARIS

Evanston Skates to advocate for a permanent skate park in the city, which is set to begin construction later this spring.

Geracaris said his top priorities include increasing affordable housing, advocating for cyclist and pedestrian safety and furthering the city’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan by helping residents modernize homes with energy-efficient technology.

whether or not the residents are from the 9th Ward.

Recently, Geracaris helped resettle several refugee families from Venezuela, Mendoza said.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th) didn’t think the city provided enough information or assistance to Evanston’s Latine community. Though he did not yet serve on City Council, Geracaris worked to fill in the gaps with the nonprofit organization Evanston Latinos he helped found.

“Through my community organizing, especially my work with the Latino community, I became well aware that members of the Latino community really wanted to see someone represent them on council,” Geracaris said.

A first-generation Argentine immigrant, Geracaris has lived and worked in Evanston for more than 29 years. After former Ald. Cicely Fleming (9th) stepped down, Mayor Daniel Biss appointed Geracaris to the 9th Ward councilmember seat in February 2022, making him Evanston’s first Latino councilmember. Now, he’s running for reelection against challenger Kathy Hayes, a fellow 9th Ward resident.

Geracaris graduated from Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering in 1997 and now works as a senior network systems engineer in the Kellogg School of Management. He also co-founded

“We want to keep Evanstonians here in Evanston,” he said. “As we move forward, it’s trying to see where we can be creative, have more new developments in Evanston and also hopefully make zoning changes to facilitate affordable housing.”

He said he is currently working on a proposal for a fair notice ordinance that would protect long-term renters from price increases and lease termination on short notice.

Mayor Daniel Biss and City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza have both endorsed Geracaris’ reelection, according to his campaign website.

Mendoza said she appreciates the perspectives Geracaris brings to City Council.

“(Geracaris) comes with the experience of being a Latino and understanding the struggles behind not being represented in the city … and hurdles that the undocumented community here goes through,” she said.

Before Geracaris joined City Council, no councilmembers spoke Spanish, Mendoza said. Now, she said she can connect Spanish-speaking residents to Geracaris,

Geracaris said he always finds it rewarding to receive a message in Spanish. He wants to ensure Evanston residents, especially Spanish speakers, know he can be a resource to them, he added.

In order to increase communication with constituents and promote transparency, Geracaris also posts his notes from each City Council and committee meeting he attends on his Facebook page.

Eric Pitt, a friend of Geracaris’ for nearly 20 years and co-founder of Evanston Skates, said they met for the first time at a record fair and later at a skatepark.

“(Geracaris) is just not this sleazy politician type,” Pitt said. “He’s a community organizer. He’s got a strong commitment, and he’s a really genuine person.”

Having attended several council meetings himself, Pitt said he found them to be slow and frustrating. But he appreciated Geracaris’ patience and thoughtfulness in listening to community members and balancing competing interests, Pitt said.

If reelected, Geracaris said he wants to continue the work he has been doing.

“I’m constantly learning and trying to do better in this position,” he said. “And I feel like I’m getting my stride now.”

— Casey He

“I became well aware that members of the Latino community really wanted to see someone represent them on council.”

JUAN GERACARIS

BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 65

SERGIO HERNANDEZ SERGIO HERNANDEZ

Growing up, Sergio Hernandez Jr. said he found it challenging to navigate the American school system without strong bilingual services for his parents, both of whom are immigrants.

Hernandez said it is especially difficult for marginalized families to navigate changes as they move from primary to secondary education. That’s one of many reasons why he’s running for the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education, he said.

Hernandez currently serves as the first Latine president of the Board, and said one of his priorities is ensuring students and families are ready at every stage of their education. He’s now running for reelection on a platform directed at dissolving opportunity and affordability gaps, engaging students in the classroom and maintaining fiscal responsibility.

“We created a policy, a mission and vision and are now implementing strategies that are going to ensure that we operationalize equitable access to resources to empower our students, their families and our educators,” Hernandez said.

to support those looking to pursue college and career opportunities after high school.

With District 65, Hernandez said he’s looking to help educators deliver a more culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate and rigorous curriculum as a way to eliminate the racial achievement gap.

“We’re really looking at transforming systems,” he said. “We need to address some of the system issues and barriers in order to ultimately and effectively address … opportunity gaps, as well as social and emotional learning gaps.”

Hernandez succeeded former Board President Anya Tanyavutti after her two-year tenure. Tanyavutti said he was a collaborative and consistent colleague.

She said Hernandez’s lived experience as an English language learner means he has distinctive ideas for inclusion, such as increasing the accessibility of board meetings through translations and interpretations.

SERGIO HERNANDEZ

As equity lead of the Illinois State Board of Education’s project management department, Hernandez works on supporting multilingual learners and equipping school districts with resources to promote equity. He also serves on the Youth Job Center board

“Sergio will continue to value the voices and the needs of vulnerable communities in (an) authentic and responsive way,” Tanyavutti said.

Hernandez said he’s excited about the new 5th Ward school, which he said will allow for a school that’s within walking distance for students in the predominantly Black ward.

Working with the city, institutional

partners and Family Focus, he said these organizations could provide services needed for 5th Ward community members.

“I’m excited that we are righting a historical wrong,” Hernandez said. “What I’d like to see is continued collaboration … to really provide the best services.”

City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza said that as a Latina mother raising kids in Evanston, she cares about having a Board member to whom she’s comfortable giving feedback.

Mendoza said Hernandez has always taken the time to listen to her concerns. He seeks the same educational outcomes for Black and brown students as compared to their white peers, she said.

“I’m thankful to have somebody on the school board that looks like me and has the same life experiences as me,” Mendoza said. “I hope the city of Evanston understands the value in having someone who is representative of the larger community and (of) people who haven’t always had representation.”

— Angeli Mittal

“We need to address some of the system issues and barriers in order to ultimately and effectively address … opportunity gaps.”

JOHN MARTIN

JOHN MARTIN

added that improving communication channels between administrators and teachers could help counteract that.

Increasing retention of skilled educators would be one of his priorities if elected. He said he appreciates the “amazing” teachers his children have had, one of whom recently left the district.

to connect with Evanston’s children and parents through youth soccer.

As the commissioner of Evanston American Youth Soccer Organization between February 2021 and July 2022, he helped ensure its return after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Martin, senior manager at Chicago-based company CSC Corptax, helps corporations implement tax accounting software. Now, he hopes to bring that expertise to the Evanston/ Skokie School District 65 Board of Education.

“My job is trying to do things more efficiently, more effectively — cheaper, faster, easier,” Martin said. “I think those skills translate quite well to what would be required at the board level.”

Martin, who has two children in District 65 elementary schools, is running for his first term as a board member. His platform focuses on increasing district enrollment and improving transparency and communication between administration, teachers and parents.

Ald. Tom Suffredin (6th), a neighbor of Martin’s with children of similar ages, said he would appreciate having Martin’s presence on the board.

“He’s a person who wants to be solution-oriented,” Suffredin said.

Martin said he hopes to facilitate collaboration between the board, educators and families. He said he has heard from teachers that they feel a lack of support from administration and

“The face of our district to the kids is the teachers,” Martin said. “That’s our greatest asset, so I want to make sure they stick around.”

Martin’s platform also includes building on “culturally inclusive education.” He said it’s important for students to learn about cultures within the community and in other areas of the world.

In terms of current events, Martin said including the Black Lives Matter movement in curricula is “critical” and “a very interesting thing to present to our kids as a movement that’s out there.”

Martin said he is in favor of an “anti-racist” approach to education, but he thinks communicating with parents is an essential part of implementing change in curricula.

“What I also want to ensure is that we’re doing things to keep our enrollment of our students here in Evanston,” he said. “Some implementation approaches have polarized some people.”

Martin said he had previously worked

“We were able to pull together 10 months worth of work in two months and get kids back out on the field,” Martin said.

Though he no longer serves as commissioner, Martin said he appreciates the lasting connections he’s made with the community, including with Evanston resident Kristin Huzar.

Huzar said Martin facilitated AYSO registration after the deadline passed for three children from refugee families she worked with last year.

“He just bent over backwards to help me,” Huzar said. “He made sure that all three kids were placed on teams. He made sure that all three kids got scholarships.”

She said she has “great faith” in Martin’s leadership abilities if he were elected to the Board of Education.

As a board member, Martin said he would work to establish effective conversation and transparency.

“I really just want to be able to return a level of civility to communications and be respectful of our community if they have a question,” he said.

— Divya Bhardwaj

“I really just want to be able to return a level of civility to communications and be respectful of our community.”

JOHN MARTIN

BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 65

NDONA MUBOYAYI NDONA MUBOYAYI

Ndona Muboyayi, a fifth-generation Evanston resident, attended both Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202 schools. But as a student, she said she faced adversity due to systemic barriers.

Community leaders with similar experiences helped her overcome those barriers, Muboyayi said. That’s what she said she wants to do for children in District 65 today.

“Systemic issues that have affected people of color for generations exist in schools that cause opportunity gaps and a lack of access,” Muboyayi said. “At present, there are so many students leaving District 65 that are not at reading grade level, and this is a major concern.”

Muboyayi has two children who attended public schools in Evanston. Now, she’s running for the District 65 Board of Education on a platform of creating a culturally relevant curriculum, increasing special education support for students with disabilities and closing the achievement gap.

Currently, District 65 has one of the largest racial achievement gaps in the country, beginning between birth and third grade. That’s why addressing the lagging literacy rate for Black and Latine students is a top priority of hers.

Muboyayi initially ran for school board in 2021, but due to limited opportunities to interact with the public because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt the community did not get the

opportunity to learn her story.

Kimberly Holmes-Ross, community engagement director at Evanston Cradle to Career — a partnership of more than 40 organizations working to improve futures for local youth — said she’s worked with Muboyayi through the organization’s Advocates for Action program.

As they conducted surveys to learn about community concerns regarding affordable housing and workforce development needs and distributed information to parents to help them access services for educational attainment, Holmes-Ross said she got to see how passionate Muboyayi was about bettering the community.

“Ndona is a truth-teller, and she does her homework,” Holmes-Ross said. “As far as the school board is concerned, I think she would be fair because she comes from a place of knowledge and understands the social determinants that surround issues like the achievement gap.”

When her children were in school, Muboyayi said she saw many conversations within the schools about creating more space for people of color.

Muboyayi said she feels the school district should not only incorporate conversations about equity in the curriculum but that it should hire more people of color as well.

“I really do believe that having a diverse staff that is focused on equity and inclusion of all persons is highly

important for students to succeed,” Muboyayi said.

Muboyayi has been involved in the Evanston chapter of Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, a national group against anti-racist work. However, at a recent school board forum, she said she’d distanced herself from them.

Judith Treadway is a retired McKinney-Vento Liaison for District 65, where she provided registration services to students who were temporarily without a permanent home but lived in the school district. She met Muboyayi when she enrolled her children in the school, and the two also interacted through their involvement with District 65’s Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee.

Treadway said Muboyayi is always looking for opportunities to understand and learn about the problems marginalized children experience within the school system.

“Ndona is very humanistic, a problem solver,” Treadway said. “As a well-informed Black woman and an Evanston native, she understands the struggles of many of the city’s children who are marginalized.”

— Ella Jeffries

“Having a diverse staff that is focused on equity and inclusion of all persons is highly important for students to succeed.”

NDONA MUBOYAYI

OMAR SALEM

OMAR SALEM

passionate about social justice and equity in the classroom.

At Niles North High School, Salem has worked as an English Language Learner and business teacher as well as an athletic coach and special education teaching assistant.

“What I hope to do is make sure all students do not just have the same opportunities but the opportunities they need,” Salem said.

students identify with.

“When students are affirmed, when students aren’t worried about being judged and criticized, they’re gonna learn better,” Salem said.

Andrea Abonce, a former student of his, said Salem always worked to help students and their families, even outside the classroom.

Omar Salem, an Evanston/Skokie School District 65 parent, said he’s consistently been frustrated with how the district communicates with parents, students and the community.

That’s one of the issues he’s hoping to address if elected to the Board of Education. He hopes to communicate through as many types of media as possible, including in-person meetings, Zoom calls and email lists.

“My priority would be to improve communication from the district,” Salem said. “The district needs to be more explicit and intentional about how information is communicated.”

Along with stronger communication at the district level, Salem’s campaign for District 65 Board of Education emphasizes fiscal responsibility in schools.

Salem has degrees in business education and English education, and is now getting a Master of Business Administration degree in school finance, which he hopes to leverage to better serve the community fiscally as a school board member.

His experiences have also made him

Niles North history teacher Pankaj Sharma said he believes Salem’s energy and positivity would be a great asset to the school board.

After working alongside Salem at Niles North for over ten years, Sharma said he’s seen firsthand what Salem can bring to the school board.

“Omar is positive, talented, collaborative and passionate about helping students fulfill their potential,” Sharma said.

Salem also emphasized the importance of inclusivity in the classroom.

In October 2021, Salem co-authored an article on the importance of using students’ correct pronouns in the classroom.

The article outlines the best practices educators can take to provide a safe space for students to express themselves. These practices included explicitly asking students for their pronouns and using the pronouns

Salem went as far as to help Abonce and her family buy a house. Using his real estate license, Salem helped her family navigate through the entire process.

“(We’re) new to this country and never having done anything like that,” Abonce said. “He always listened to our needs and concerns and was patient.”

Salem, who serves on Evanston’s Equity and Empowerment Commission, said he wants to build upon his community involvement to increase communication between schools and Evanston as a whole.

Looking forward, Salem said he hopes his prior work in and out of the classroom will resonate with the District 65 voters.

“He is someone you can trust,” Abonce said. “He is someone who will listen to your concerns and be there when you need him to be there.”

— Camille Haines

“What I hope to do is make sure all students do not just have the same opportunities but the opportunities they need.”

OMAR SALEM

BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 65

MYA WILKINS MYA WILKINS

The memory of her grandfather helped inspire Mya Wilkins’ passion for education, eventually leading to her run for Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education.

“My grandfather had to stop going to school in the third grade,” Wilkins said. “Because of that, it was always communicated and put on us that we did have opportunities and so because of that, we should fully take advantage of it.”

A current District 65 Board of Education member, Wilkins is now running for her first full four-year term. In October, she was unanimously selected by her fellow Board members to fill a vacant seat on the District 65 Board of Education after former member Anya Tanyavutti stepped down. Wilkins works as an executive director in marketing research at JPMorgan Chase.

Wilkins’ platform prioritizes equity for all students, social and emotional learning and fiscal responsibility. Her work on the school board has focused on bridging opportunity gaps, strengthening school safety, decreasing racial inequities in student performance, supporting LGBTQ+ students and promoting sustainability.

Two of Wilkins’ children attend District 65 schools, which she said provides her with a different perspective — that of a parent’s — to work to provide a

supportive learning environment for all students.

In her next term, Wilkins said she hopes to focus on academic achievement gaps during early childhood education.

“A lot of times, students don’t receive the same support before they get to kindergarten, and it is really really difficult to get on the right track,” Wilkins said. “The focus needs to be on early childhood education. And then on top of that, making sure that if students are not on track, the interventions are in place to get them there.”

Ashanti Henderson, an attorney and longtime friend of Wilkins’, said Wilkins excels at connecting with people, as well as working with numbers and data.

“She’s approachable,” Henderson said. “So if parents had issues or concerns that they want to address with her, I think that Mya is really open to having those conversations.”

Clarence J. Fluker, director of community engagement for the Association of American Medical Colleges and Wilkins’ childhood friend, said Wilkins’ thoughtfulness and humility make her a leader in the community.

Especially in a position where she serves students and families, he said she thinks about the impact of her decisions carefully before making them.

“She’s extremely thoughtful about

how she engages, and when she engages and when to use her voice or to turn to someone else and say, ‘I think that your voice could be needed here,’” Fluker said.

Wilkins said she hopes to promote sustainability within District 65 schools by incorporating it into the curriculum and introducing extracurricular initiatives where students can take part in and learn more about sustainability initiatives. She hopes the new school coming to the 5th Ward, which she said is long overdue, will have environmentally friendly lighting and infrastructure.

Moving forward with the construction project, Wilkins wants the district to prioritize listening to community members who live in the area. She said she is excited to continue serving District 65 families and hopes to win re-election to carry on the work she started over the past several months.

“There’s a lot we can do to make it better,” Wilkins said. “But all in all, I’m really proud to be a part of this district.”

— Kunjal Bastola

“The focus needs to be on early childhood education and ... making sure that if students are not on track, the interventions are in place to get them there.”

MYA WILKINS

MIRAH ANTI

MIRAH ANTI

University HealthSystem — which currently provides health services in school — expand to a mental health space that provides therapists as well.

Mental health services are critical to improving school safety, Anti added. ETHS has recently faced multiple gun scares, including an incident where a student brought a loaded handgun to school.

rethinking of how classes are structured.

“You have to believe that what someone else is bringing to the table could actually help you,” she said. “It’s a whole level of redesign, that, I think, is beyond most of the ways in which we are taught.”

Design and creativity are two of Anti’s strong suits, according to her friend and colleague Janet Salmon.

Mirah Anti doesn’t shy away from asking hard questions.

In Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education meetings, Anti pushes fellow board members to acknowledge how their racially lived experiences impact the choices they’re making, she said.

“I may challenge … one of my fellow board members’ point of view,” Anti said. “I don’t use a fear of conflict as a reason to not discuss something.”

Anti was appointed to the Board of Education in June 2021, after an election in which too few candidates ran to fill the open seats. She’s now running as a write-in candidate in the April election to fulfill two more years of her term.

An ETHS parent and the director of equity and inclusion at Township High School District 113, Anti said she’s focused on listening to teenage voices, improving mental health services and advancing equity by redesigning class structures.

She said she hopes to emphasize community schooling, a model where schools partner with organizations to provide outside resources to students. For instance, Anti said she’d like to see ETHS’ partnership with NorthShore

“It’s not about metal detectors. It’s not about more police officers in our schools. It’s not about teaching kids how to do fewer drugs or be in fewer violent situations,” Anti said. “It’s about giving them a safe space.”

Loren Stillwell, an ETHS parent who’s worked with Anti in District 113, said Anti would be a valuable asset to the Board of Education team.

She called Anti compassionate and deeply knowledgeable.

“She knows education, clearly — it’s her life’s work,” Stillwell said. “She has an acute and deep understanding of equity and how that intersects with education.”

Anti said she’s also interested in examining how ETHS places students into different educational tracks, with some students taking Advanced Placement or honors classes.

Anti said she’d like to get rid of academic tracks altogether and have students with different abilities learn together — though she acknowledged that may require a comprehensive

When they taught in District 113 together, Salmon said Anti hung “curiosities” from the ceiling and placed relics like an old rotary phone around the room just to pique students’ interest. That changed how Salmon thought about her own classroom space.

“She’s a one-of-a-kind individual, to be quite honest,” Salmon said. “She is a visionary thinker and just thinks of things and sees the world in a way that I think helps other people see the world in new ways.”

Going forward, Anti said she wants the city to rethink the way it treats teens. She’d love to see more spaces for dances, or more skateparks — places students can find community safely outside of school — she said.

“You don’t invite kids to the table where all the adults are and then get mad at them for not acting in ways that you want,” Anti said. “Redesign the table with them in mind.”

— Aviva

Bechky

“I may challenge … one of my fellow board members’ point of view. I don’t use a fear of conflict as a reason to not discuss something.”

MIRAH ANTI

MONIQUE PARSONS MONIQUE PARSONS

For Monique Parsons, running for reelection to the Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education continues a lifelong mission.

“It’s a natural part of who I am, who I’ve been in my adult life,” Parsons said. “I don’t just do this because I like being on a board or going on a campaign. It’s because I believe, truly, in leading our future.”

Parsons has been on the school board since 2015 and is running on a platform that prioritizes equity and the social and emotional well-being of ETHS students.

Parsons, the current president and CEO of the McGaw YMCA and the parent of a former ETHS student, has been attending board meetings since before she was a member herself.

In the past, she worked as club director of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago as well as center director of the Ford Motor Company Family Service and Learning Center.

She is planning several initiatives for her potential reelection, such as improving special education programs for students with disabilities and recruiting and retaining a diverse staff.

“We have a very challenging community because we are diverse and deeply segregated,” Parsons said. “Because of that, I think it is important that there are voices at the table that represent the community.”

One of her goals as a board member is to ensure the board listens to LGBTQ+ students’ input, she said.

SESP Prof. Nichole Pinkard (SESP Ph.D. ’98) works with the current D202 board as a part of the Northwestern-Evanston Education Research Alliance, which brings together both school districts in Evanston with University staff.

“(Parsons) actually really listens, takes in what people are saying and speaks when she feels that her voice and what she has to say is different from what’s out there,” Pinkard, who volunteers on Parsons’ campaign, said.

Parsons identified school safety as one of the challenges the district is facing right now. In the past year, ETHS has faced numerous incidents related to shooting threats and guns in the building.

She said her time working at the Minnesota Department of Corrections helped shape how she approaches safety.

“I believe that if you are serving on behalf of students, you need to be concerned about them in their totality,” Parsons said. “You should know what’s happening in the communities that they live in because they bring that stress, they bring that burden with them when they come into the building.”

Jesse Chatz, director of communications for the Skokie-Morton Grove

School District 69, has known Parsons for almost a decade. He described her as a “mentor and a guiding light.”

Chatz, who is also a volunteer for Parsons’ campaign, described Parsons as truly connected to and passionate about the Evanston community. He said he has been inspired by the effort she puts into connecting with community members at events.

“Talk to her because I promise you, she’ll be able to change your mind,” Chatz said. “Because at one point, she has been advocating for your child.”

Parsons also said she makes sure to reply to anyone who reaches out, even if it’s just to connect them with someone who might know more.

Among her many roles, Parsons said she considers herself a convener, relationship builder and navigator. She said her mission as a Board of Education member comes back to students.

“I’m committed to doing the right thing for them,” Parsons said. “It’s about leading for the future.”

— Mika Ellison

“If you are serving on behalf of students, you need to be concerned about them in their totality.”

MONIQUE PARSONS

LEAH PIEKARZ

LEAH PIEKARZ

to be able to really ask some critical questions and understand what’s being presented to the board.”

Among those questions, she said, should be ones on how to improve school safety.

bargaining for the union, aiming to improve work conditions for teachers and learning conditions for students.

Leah Piekarz worked as a counselor at Evanston Township High School for 21 years, advocating as a union leader and helping start a program to set students up with career-oriented classes.

Now, having retired last summer, she’s running for a four-year seat on the Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education.

“I really do want to serve … and keep contributing to the success of what’s happening at ETHS,” Piekarz said. “It’s an institution that’s at the core of our health in the community.”

Piekarz said she’s running on a platform highlighting college and career readiness, student voices and school safety. She also plans to address equity and inclusion, social and emotional learning and faculty and staff support, according to her website.

Piekarz said her experience as a school counselor — including as lead for 12 years — gives her unique insight into ETHS students’ mindsets.

“I know a lot about the ins and outs and the functioning of the high school,” Piekarz said. “I think it helps

She said ETHS should look for school safety solutions beyond traditional or technical ones like metal detectors, which ETHS staff have said they’re considering. Piekarz said she’d be hesitant to add detectors because of how large ETHS is. Rather, she said she wants to focus on prioritizing students’ mental health.

“Just as important is why students feel unsafe,” Piekarz said. “We have to look at the root cause of why we’re in this situation.”

Lisa Oberman, a retired ETHS English teacher and member of Piekarz’s campaign committee, said Piekarz appeared very calm and level-headed when working with students.

“She was great with her kids, never gave up on a kid,” Oberman said. “She’s the same way with adults, too.”

Along with being a school counselor, Piekarz was also a Teachers’ Council executive committee member — which is ETHS’s equivalent of a teachers’ union — and was a member of the Council’s executive board for 18 years.

Piekarz said she often led collective

Bill Farmer (WCAS ’03), ETHS science teacher and former president of the Teacher’s Council, said Piekarz was an asset to the council.

“She’s a really thoughtful collaborator,” Farmer said. “She is really passionate about trying to make ETHS live up to its vision of equitable education for all students.”

Piekarz said board decisions in the past have often left out student perspectives. To address that, she said she aims to listen to the Evanston community and incorporate the thoughts of students and parents into her leadership. One idea she suggested was holding more Student Voice Forums, which are annual events hosted at ETHS where students bring their ideas and suggestions to school board members.

Piekarz said she wants to be a part of the Board of Education to give back to the community that she considers home.

“Getting to know individual students and families and their lives and feeling like you could, in some way, have a positive impact has been … really good work,” Piekarz said. “Working in ETHS, I just have really become a part of the ETHS family and the greater community.”

— Aidan Johnstone

“Working in ETHS, I just have really become a part of the ETHS family and the greater community.”

LEAH PIEKARZ

202

LIZ ROLEWICZ LIZ ROLEWICZ

Since she moved to Evanston a decade ago, Liz Rolewicz has been deeply engaged in local politics and community-building.

“We moved to Evanston because we wanted to be part of a smaller community where people know each other, and they’re very engaged in the community,” Rolewicz said.

A parent herself, Rolewicz has been a member of the Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education since 2019. She’s now running for her second term on a platform of racial equity, strengthening community partnerships, career readiness and more.

In addition to serving on the Board, Rolewicz is the communication chair of the PTA Equity Project, an Evanston/ Skokie School District 65 program that works to distribute PTA funds equitably across all the district’s schools.

The program first began in 2016 to address funding disparities within the school system.

“We had a very inequitable balance of schools that could fundraise very high amounts of money, and schools that were not able to fundraise hardly at all,” Rolewicz said. “It was affecting the student experience.”

Elisabeth “Biz” Lindsay-Ryan, a co-founder of PEP and a current District 65 Board of Education member, said the project was largely unprecedented nationwide.

She added that Rolewicz’s participation was critical in getting the project off the ground in its early days.

“Her experiences in a school that had less resources really was an important perspective,” Lindsay-Ryan said. “We weren’t trying to do philanthropy. We weren’t trying to just raise money from wealthy schools. We were trying to create a just system.”

Rolewicz also volunteered with Back On Their Feet, a community mutual-aid group on Facebook that has provided furniture and supplies to residents in need.

Stephanie Teterycz, a current District 202 Board of Education member, said she and Rolewicz faced difficult circumstances in their first term because of the COVID19 pandemic. But she said they were still able to improve technology access and provide meals for the community.

“She’s deeply, deeply committed to equity,” Teterycz said. “That’s where we’ve been putting our efforts and our focus.”

Rolewicz said equity would remain her top priority if she were to be reelected. She also hopes to continue District 202’s partnerships with District 65 and community organizations like Evanston Cradle to Career to better prepare students for high school.

Another of Rolewicz’s priorities is student mental health.

“Truthfully, the kids have not bounced back completely to pre-pandemic times. They’re still recovering from the

pandemic,” she said. “That’s something we’re going to continue focusing on.”

Talking about other difficulties students have faced, Rolewicz said she’s open-minded about putting metal detectors in ETHS.

In the past year, ETHS has faced multiple gun scares, including incidents where a student posted a threatening message on social media and where a student brought a loaded gun to school.

“I feel like it’s not really a black-andwhite issue,” she said. “There’s a lot more nuance to safety overall. There’s a lot of different ways to address safety, and there’s a lot of new technologies to address safety.”

Looking forward to the elections, Rolewicz said she’s in the position of board member to represent every student in the district.

“I think Evanston is a very engaged, community-minded town. And I think people here value diversity, whether it’s racial or economic,” Rolewicz said. “I think they care enough to want to see our kids have an equitable school experience.”

— Paul O’Connor

“We moved to Evanston because we wanted to be part of a smaller community where people know each other.”

LIZ ROLEWICZ

BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 202

KRISTEN SCOTTI KRISTEN SCOTTI

takes a real toll because those messages are internalized.”

Last year, children with disabilities struggled to buy tickets to the homecoming dance, according to Scotti.

disabilities who are kids of color.”

Kristen Scotti describes herself as introverted. She said she never saw herself running for the Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education — but she’s doing it anyway.

“This is really outside my comfort zone,” Scotti said. “I’m disabled, and I have a disabled kid in the district. It’s just about wanting to see better outcomes for disabled kids.”

Scotti is currently working on their materials science and engineering Ph.D. at Northwestern and is running for their first term on the District 202 board. Scotti aims to promote equitable outcomes while highlighting how intersectional, marginalized identities impact academic performance. As someone with a disability, they see their own experiences reflected in their child’s.

When Scotti was in high school, she was told she was never going to graduate. Now, she said she continues to see this negativity directed toward her child during school meetings like parent-teacher conferences.

“It’s the same story over and over,” Scotti said. “That’s one thing that’s echoed from my own experience. It

The school prevented students with multiple tardies from attending the dance and other extracurricular activities, which Scotti said disproportionately impacted those who had Individualized Education Programs. They added that current ETHS systems, like its attendance policy, primarily center exclusion.

Evanston resident Chris White’s child attends the ETHS Therapeutic Day School, an off-campus day school for students eligible for special education services.

White said their child has always experienced difficulties in accessing school resources. They worked with Scotti and other community members to voice concerns at a school board meeting.

“She has the lived experience,” White said. “She gets it. She’s good at pulling people together.”

Evanston resident and parent Karla Thomas, who is a SESP graduate student, said Scotti takes an intersectional approach to race and disability.

“(Scotti) is a disability advocate but somebody who will not try to pit that disability work against the racial work,” Thomas said. “(They can) help shine a spotlight on the realities of kids with

In past years, multiple students have brought handguns to ETHS, raising safety concerns. Some parents have proposed installing metal detectors, but Scotti opposes this.

They said having metal detectors wouldn’t work from a practical perspective. Instead, they said school should look at deeper issues because students don’t feel safe at school.

“You have to look to build safer communities — not just at the high school,” Scotti said. “We need more social workers. We need more support for the students. We need to be making partnerships with the community.”

Scotti also said ETHS’ current gender support plans need change.

ETHS students need parental consent to request to change their name or pronouns, even though Chicago Public Schools doesn’t have this requirement. There’s no reason for ETHS to have different policies, Scotti said. She added that she would ensure students who don’t have parental support can access name and pronoun change.

White said Scotti is passionate about advocating for students with disabilities and is someone who can fight for “the things we need.”

“I absolutely trust her as someone to represent me on the school board,” White said.

— Jessica Ma

“I’m disabled, and I have a disabled kid in the district. It’s just about wanting to see better outcomes for disabled kids.”

KRISTEN SCOTTI