jacqueline serrato, adam przybyl

The Race for the 1st District

As Rep. Bobby Rush retires, more than a dozen vie to take his place.

TOP ROW, FROM THE LEFT: JACQUELINE COLLINS, TERRE LAYNG ROSNER, PAT DOWELL, CHRIS BUTLER BOTTOM ROW, FROM THE LEFT: JAHMAL COLE, JONATHAN JACKSON, JONATHAN SWAIN, MARCUS LEWIS. ILLUSTRATIONS: BRIDGET KILLIAN.

BY JACQUELINE SERRATO AND ADAM PRZYBYL

Earlier this year, Congressman Bobby Rush, who has served Illinois’ 1st District since 1993, announced that he would be retiring. More than a dozen people have announced their candidacies for the Democratic primary, from alderpersons and state senators to pastors and business owners. The Weekly reached out to each Democratic candidate with a short questionnaire, aimed at helping inform readers ahead of the primary. The answers of those candidates who responded are included below, edited for length and clarity. A longer version of candidates’ answers will be available online, along with answers from 3rd Ward Alderperson Pat Dowell, whose answers came in past our print deadline.

The Candidates

•Chris Butler is the pastor at Chicago Embassy Church Network. •Jahmal Cole is a community activist and founded My Block My Hood My City. •Jacqueline Collins has served as state senator in the 16th District since 2003 and is the Deputy Majority Chair. •Jonathan Jackson is a business professor, national spokesperson for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and son of Rev. Jesse Jackson. •Marcus Lewis is a retired postal worker and minister. •Terre Layng Rosner is a professor and union negotiator. •Jonathan Swain is the owner of Kimbark Beverage Shoppe in Hyde Park and is the founder of the Hyde Park Summer Fest.

What are three things that define you as a Chicagoan or Illinoisian?

Butler: I was born and raised in Illinois. I attended Whitney Young High School and Northeastern Illinois University. I met and married my wife here in Chicago. I’m raising my family here. I love this state and my city.

Cole: First and foremost, I’m a volunteer. That’s who I am, who I have always been, and that’s because I care so much about my city and the people in my community. I also love exploration. There is so much to this city and I always say you can travel the world without setting foot outside the city. Finally, I would say food. I love food so much, and that’s one of the things I love about this city and even this district. When I got to go to the different communities, part of that was trying new

Collins: The main things that define me as a Chicagoan are my work, my faith, and my family. As a State Senator since 2003, my job has been to serve as the voice of the people of my district and to give voice to the voiceless, including the homeless and downtrodden, justice involved people, battered women and victims of sex crimes, and people with mental illness.

My faith closely mirrors my work. I have long been a member of Saint Sabina Church, a revered Chicago institution that is committed to being “a lobbyist for the poor, alienated, and disenfranchised.”

Finally, my family and personal life define me as a Chicagoan. I was raised in Englewood and have lived most my life in the 1st Congressional District. My South Side roots run deep. My family migrated to the South Side from Mississippi during the Great Migration, and were one of many families that built the vibrant communities that make up the 1st District today.

Jackson: I believe that activism more than anything else defines me as a Chicagoan. As a close advisor to my father, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., I have had the opportunity to travel the world and to engage directly with world leaders, many of whom held political and ideological views very different from my own. These far-reaching travels and high-level interactions with world leaders have shaped my worldview, instilling the lesson that achieving great things often demands compromise, and that understanding opposing views is key to changing the minds of those who hold them. As spokesperson of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, I have taken on the most intractable problems facing the people of Chicago: discrimination and racial injustices, unemployment, income inequality, voter rights, violent crime, police brutality, unjust incarceration, education, healthcare, homeowner protection, and business development in urban areas. Few of these successes would have been possible without a willingness to engage with opposing views to build a better consensus. Lewis: I don’t give up. I don’t give up. I don’t give up.

Rosner: Midwestern Ethics, Endurance and Fairness.

Swain: First and foremost, I’m a son of the South Side. I was born here, grew up here, and now I live and raise my children here. I’ve lived and worked in many different neighborhoods across the district and have gotten to know the unique circumstances and experiences of each of these, from Hyde Park to Auburn Gresham to South Shore. I’m a business owner, as are many in Chicago and Illinois. Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and provide places for individuals to not only purchase goods and services, but find community, and it is our sense of community here in Chicago that makes this city so special. And finally, I’m a bridge builder—my diverse experiences equip me with a skillset and ability to make connections unparalleled by anyone else in this race.

Name the top three issues faced by the constituents of the 1st district.

Butler: The most pressing issue in the district is the most pressing issue in the nation—economic inequality and lack of economic opportunity. Two other major issues reinforce our staggering levels of income inequality: first, we have an education system that reinforces income disparities by ensuring kids born to working-class families and the marginalized poor don’t get a quality education. Second, Congress remains gridlocked because, in exchange for corporate campaign contributions, politicians in both parties have signed onto a bi-partisan consensus to get nothing done, a consensus I call the stucktocracy.

Cole: The number one issue in this district is gun violence. So we need someone who is going to be the best, loudest advocate for changing that. We need better education. Our kids are not getting the education and support that they need to be successful, and are forcing them to go into crushing student loan debt. Finally, jobs. We have had more people leave the district because of the lack of opportunities and the violence.

Collins: Crime, Financial Insecurity (including, but not limited to, inflation), Community Disinvestment.

Jackson: My platform is focused on the Three Gs: Guns, Groceries, and Gas— the pressing issues that impact people’s lives and wellbeing every single day.

Lewis: Unbridled crime. Poverty. Little to no access to resources.

Rosner: Inflation, Distrust and Career Politicians.

Swain: I believe that as the Representative for Illinois’ 1st District, it would be my responsibility to listen to my constituents to determine what the most pressing problem is that faces individuals living in the district, not for me to tell them what it is. As such, my first focus will be being present in the 1st District ensuring my constituents have a Congressperson who they can have access to, connect with, who addresses their questions, and who brings resources back from the federal government that can impact their dayto-day lives.

Elaborate on the solutions you’re proposing for some or all of the issues you identified above.

Butler: The solution to economic inequality and a lack of economic opportunity must be family-centered work policies. We need to develop a system of paid parental and family leave to support pregnant women, new parents, and family caregivers. We must reduce workplace risks and health disparities for pregnant women and improve maternal and child health research. We have to ensure that every family has access to affordable, quality childcare and early education.

We must also rebalance the economy. Among the needed solutions to do so is a basic income guarantee for individuals and families. We must also strengthen organized labor and give workers the ability to form unions without fear of often illegal and certainly immoral efforts by corporations to stifle this basic need for workplace solidarity.

When it comes to education, we should ensure every community has high-quality educational opportunities that fit the needs of families and children, to lessen the brain drain of young people leaving their hometowns for big-city universities. We need robust, federal support for family engagement in education and we must support familydirected education pathways.

Cole: To solve gun violence, we have to look at the root causes. Because we are going to fight hard to pass legislation that gets AR-15’s off the streets, and limits high capacity magazines, but that isn’t going to change the circumstances people are living in, which is actually the key here in Chicago. So my campaign is the only one that has proposed a piece of signature legislation called "The Root Causes of Gun Violence Act" which is going to take federal dollars, and support the efforts that Chicago has begun investing in. We are going to think critically about the trauma, disinvestment, poor education and impact of all these circumstances to develop solutions. I have identified mental health, education, ending recidivism, and local businesses and entrepreneurs as key factors in bringing down the violence in our city and keeping our people safe and healthy.

When I talk about education, I mean equitable investment in public schools. We know that our country’s history of segregation and problematic education policies have created an incredible educational gap between white communities and communities of color. We have to start by investing in Universal Pre-K, invest in STEM for all kids, especially those who’ve been the most marginalized and excluded from these resources. From there, we have to make public colleges free and accessible, making sure that all students are encouraged and supported, getting the resources they need to succeed.

More and more people are leaving our community because they feel unsafe, and like they can’t thrive. We have to support small businesses in our district and local entrepreneurs, incentivizing them to stay here. To do that, we need to create

POLITICS federal grants that support the creation and expansion of local businesses, and make sure that they are able to give their employees a living wage without making it impossible to keep their doors open. I have been delivering that on the block level through my “Hit The Hood” and small business grants, and I plan to take that to the next level by creating federal programs that do this.

Collins: So-called “get tough on crime” policies don’t work, and they exacerbate pre-existing racial inequities in the criminal justice system. There are two major steps I would take to confront crime. First, I support economic and educational policies that help uplift families from poverty. I also support re-entry programs that give formerly incarcerated people the best chance at becoming productive members of their community. Second, I will champion efforts to prevent the flow of firearms across state lines by placing reasonable restrictions on the sale of firearms and closing loopholes that allow people to travel to states with lower levels of scrutiny to buy guns and then taking them back to the cities. I support a ban on assault rifles, which are weapons of mass death.

As with most negative economic trends—whether it be inflation or unemployment—Black, Brown, and lower income families bear more than their fair share of the impact. There are several policies and programs that can help alleviate the economic hardships faced by families: direct cash assistance; expanding and increasing the earned income credit; investing in quality, affordable housing; and working with financial institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies to provide low- or no-cost credit to small businesses.

Community disinvestment is reflected in many ways: banking deserts, food deserts, boarded-up storefronts, foreclosures, dilapidated housing, and the lack of local small businesses that create jobs and provide amenities to the community. Redlining, the systematic and intentional denial of credit and financial services to communities of color, has created racially and economically segregated neighborhoods in the Chicago region. Such segregation will not fix itself. We must enact policies that affirmatively direct resources to these neighborhoods.

Jackson: Guns: The people of the 1st District do not feel safe, and their feelings are more than justified. Residents are now more afraid of stray bullets than they are of contracting Covid-19. As Congressman, I will combat these issues by supporting the “Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act,” which will make it much easier for the ATF to revoke the licenses of troublesome gun stores. When passed, the ATF will be able to revoke gun shop licenses without having to jump through the hoops of proving a dealer intentionally violated the Gun Control Act.

Groceries: Nationwide, the cost of living is rising faster than it has in decades and, with Fed policy in flux as the Central Bank moves to enact the first major series of interest rate hikes since the Great Financial Crisis, it has never been more important for Congress to act to protect our most vulnerable citizens. Much of the current inflationary pressure is concentrated in price increases in food, energy, and rent. These costs are felt most acutely by our poorest and most vulnerable citizens. One way to shield the public from inflation is to expand public service provision—public transit, subsidized medical care, and supplemental nutrition. We need inflation intervention that serves our most vulnerable citizens, and we already have the blueprint. Many of the programs that served us so well during the Covid-19 pandemic can be tailored to mitigate the impacts of inflation.

Gas: In addition to fighting for fair gas prices and against price gouging, I will support bold legislation that can meaningfully address climate change. First and foremost, I will work to pass the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal offers a two-for-one benefit. Not only does it offer the most comprehensive legislative response to the climate crisis currently on the table, but it also offers major economic boons as a result of refocusing the country’s priorities, including the creation of high-wage jobs, and clean air and water for all.

Lewis: This is where you have to trust me. I must be elected to the office of Congressman to know the specific resources available at my hand to work with and why they have not been utilized before me to help this district stave off the problems I have noted. The people of this district will know that there is a distinct difference at the helm and I will not tolerate any nonsense. We will use the levers of government, like never before, to find solutions and if that doesn’t work, we will try something else, BUT WE WILL TRY UNTIL THESE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED!!!

Rosner: Inflation is the result of many factors some of which are the flood of money into the economy, inequity in salaries between the highest and lowest paid in the same company. Grift, greed and world events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine. One significant solution would be to support self-sufficiency in manufacturing and finally ween ourselves off fossil fuels. The distrust between and about politicians is deep. Trust comes from familiarity. Work towards term limits, federally funded and limitedtime elections. Require divestiture of sitting government representatives. No representative should be able to become a lobbyist for 10 years after her last term.

Swain: Reducing crime starts with addressing the underlying causes of crime—undereducation, few or no support systems for our young people, and a lack of mental health resources to name a few. I believe we need to increase our support for young people through mentoring, education, and employment. Everyday, hard-working families are also feeling the impact of high healthcare and prescription costs, and significant inflation on the price of consumer goods. In terms of healthcare, I support the expansion of universal healthcare and will work to lower prescription drug prices for Americans. More investment should be made in strengthening community health resources, such as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) or mental health centers. Costs of consumer goods are also higher than they’ve ever been, which is why I support measures to curb inflation, such as working with the Federal Reserve and also ensuring prices are regulated and fair. The Child Tax Credit should be made permanent in order to continue to help working families make ends meet. I also support the elimination of student loan debt and measures to make public and community colleges free for all, because we are better as a society when more people have increased access to education to help them better themselves and their communities.

What would Reparations look like to you?

Butler: It would be great if we were at a place in this country where the real thing holding up Reparations was a disagreement over the exact structure we should implement. That’s not where we are. We should keep pushing for a full-hearted commitment that we must absolutely right this wrong. Ideally, in my mind, it will involve cash benefits. I’m open to many options in addition to cash benefits like land grants.

Cole: Reparations are about more than just slavery, it’s also about all of the racist policies, segregation and violence that happened after too. Reparations have always been about helping people heal from their trauma, recognizing the harm that had been done to them, and the ways that we could help our people recover. So with that, I think reparations for us look like what Germany gave to Jewish people after the Holocaust: money. We have been left out of the housing market, have had our wealth stolen from us, burned down and taken, and it’s time the federal government recognizes that, and gives that back to us.

Collins: Slavery in America is one of the world’s greatest injustices. It underlies the racial wealth gap, which has left many communities of color stuck in a cycle of disinvestment. My plan for reparations is based in part on the work of journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. Her article, What Is Owed, in The New York Times Magazine, is an important contribution to the subject.

Reparations should include targeted investments in housing, schools, and infrastructure in predominantly Black communities. Individual reparations would go to any person who can document that they identified as a Black

person for at least ten years before the beginning of any reparations program and can trace at least one ancestor back to American slavery. Reparations would include individual cash payments to descendants of slaves and “baby bonds” to each child of such descendants. The baby bonds program would give every child of a descendant a savings account seeded with $1,000 when they are born. Children would receive $2,000 more each year and wouldn’t be able to access the funds until they turn eighteen. Jackson: Countless innocent Black men, women and children faced the horrors of slavery in America. Indigenous people and communities have also suffered at the hands of unjust government, having faced centuries of violent displacement, systematic discrimination, and (in all too many cases) outright annihilation. Centuries of discrimination and violence cannot be undone with the wave of a hand or stroke of a pen. The long-term damage to both communities is still painfully visible. Reparations policy should start with launching constructive economic and social programs, policy reforms, and public investments that can begin the process of offsetting the years of abuses. Reparations must ultimately be about building institutions that both address the wrongs of the past, guard against racism and discrimination in future, and promote meaningful opportunities for all.

Lewis: Payment in the form of checks from the U.S. Treasury to Black People. Amount to be determined.

Rosner: If provenance and evidence can be found for stolen goods and/or property, then reparations are possible. However, blanket stipends are unwise and impossible to do in a fair and reasonable manner.

Swain: Reparations are key to leveling the playing field for all individuals in this country, and a step towards correcting the legacy of racism that this country has harbored, especially against Black Americans. To me, reparations would include free college, access to home ownership grants to help Black individuals access property and build wealth, and a set of business start-up grants to empower Black entrepreneurs to realize their dreams and pursue business goals.

Do you support redirecting funds from the police budget?

Butler: I believe in addition and multiplication, not subtraction and division. Even as we add more sworn officers, increase their funding and give them the support they need, we can also make sure our officers are doing the kinds of jobs for which they are trained and best suited to handle. That’s why I believe we should create a civilian corps for nonemergency calls; use civilian and technical support staff to reduce administrative time and court time; create a national faith-based peacemaking investment fund; create a community trauma response force modeled after President Biden’s gun strike force to do intervention in high-need areas in crisis, and explore the creation of a cross-training program where beat cops and violence interrupters train alongside one another.

Cole: I think that we need to be investing in a whole lot more than the police because they can’t do everything, so we have to stop trying to force them to. And we have to stop giving them more and more state and federal funds that give them the same tools and weapons as the military. So I support investing more in other resources to make sure that, when someone is homeless, they aren’t being arrested and are redirected to resources that could actually help them. And the same is true for someone going through a mental health crisis, and so many other situations in this city.

Collins: I support a holistic approach to public safety and providing robust funding to its component parts: mental health resources, after-school programs, economic development, affordable housing, and more. I further support community policing—the long-term allocation of officers to a particular community and recruiting officers from the communities they will serve—and so-called “co-responder models”—a model for crisis response that includes a team of officer, clinician and paramedic. Sending an army of police to respond to a situation involving an individual having a mental health episode is the worst possible response to that type of situation.

I was proud to work with my colleagues in the State Senate to pass the Reimagine Public Safety Act, which became law last year. The Act will provide targeted investments to communities experiencing high levels of violence and will support communitybased organizations that provide youth intervention services, violence interruption and trauma treatment.

Jackson: Law enforcement cannot be expected to solve every tangible social need of our community. While effective law enforcement is a critical building block of effective public safety policy, I believe we must pursue a more holistic approach if we want to revitalize communities ravaged by gun violence. That means incorporating community wellness, community education and resources, community mental health services, affordable housing, and other social building blocks into a comprehensive approach to public safety.

Lewis: No. I will file bills for funding for the things the 1st Congressional District of Illinois needs.

Rosner: No. I support rigor in oversight for police budgets. I believe in competitive pay and benefits for individuals willing to serve and PROTECT our communities. Shifting funds in the police budget can alleviate myriad problems. We need to support already fair-minded civil servants and weed out bad actors with commonsense quality control.

Swain: Reducing crime starts with addressing the underlying causes of crime—undereducation, few or no support systems for our young people, and a lack of mental health resources to name a few. I believe we need to increase our support for young people through mentoring, education, and employment. When they are connected with personal support and quality educational opportunities, it can fundamentally change their lives and prevent them from making poor decisions that keep them from thriving in life. While evaluating where we spend our dollars, we need increased funding for police reform to bring about change in policing that reduces harm to diverse communities.

What’s your stance on Roe v. Wade?

Butler: Whether the Court ultimately overturns Roe this year, we cannot afford to remain stuck in the old paradigm. Americans understand that abortion ends a precious life, but they also realize that preborn lives aren’t the only ones deserving protection. Vulnerable expectant parents, facing record-high costs of living, unaffordable healthcare, inaccessible childcare, and more also need support. A holistic approach to abortion must address both of these concerns.

This means recognizing that abortion restrictions alone won’t create a society in which all lives are protected. It means listening to the diverse voices of families who face real abortion decisions, not political elites and extremists repeating abstract slogans. It means making unprecedented investments in these families, offering support that tackle the root causes driving 630,000 women to abortion every year. Policies such as guaranteed basic income, paid parental leave, and universal healthcare are examples of such necessary investments.

Additionally, efforts to end disparities in childcare access, education, and maternal well-being will eliminate the barriers that make women feel like they must choose between their child and their job, school, and health. By building infrastructure to support families, we remove the crushing burdens of unplanned pregnancy—thus making abortion unnecessary and unthinkable.

Cole: We have to codify it into law, and then fight to make it a constitutional amendment. It will take time to get enough states on board, but that’s the only way we will be able to guarantee the right to choose.

Collins: I fiercely support Roe v. Wade. Moreover, I support public funding to enable poor women to have access to a full range of reproductive health care, including abortion. I will advocate for

Congress to codify Roe into law.

Jackson: The Supreme Court’s plan to strike down Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey—two decisions that previously protected women’s right to choose, across the country—has made it more important than ever that we elect pro-choice champions to Congress who will fight for federal legislation that will codify protections of female reproductive health services, including access to safe and legal abortion. Abortion access is more difficult for poor and workingclass families. Working families already struggling to make ends meet must be given federal protections, including access to the full range of reproductive healthcare options. We must ensure that women nationwide have the freedom to make their own reproductive health decisions—and have access to the resources and services necessary to enact those decisions.

Lewis: I say what The Lord Jesus said: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.” - Matthew 5:21

Rosner: Without hesitation, it should be upheld!

Swain: I believe everyone should have the autonomy to make decisions about their reproductive healthcare for themselves—without their government officials telling them what they can and can’t do. I support measures at the federal level to codify the rights of individuals who can bear children to access whatever reproductive healthcare they deem fit for themselves, and strongly oppose any effort to prevent individuals from accessing this care. Everyone deserves the chance to access reproductive healthcare where and when they want or need it, with no strings attached whatsoever.

Describe your past interaction, if any, with outgoing Rep. Bobby Rush.

Butler: In my past activist and advocacy work, including work I did on school funding reform, I have interacted with Rep. Rush’s office and with the Congressman himself.

Cole: I have spoken to Congressman Rush, even before I announced I was running and he even encouraged me to run for office. When I filed with the FEC back in February last year, he said he didn’t mean his seat! But he was cool about it afterwards.

Collins: The Congressman and I come out of the same tradition of activism–the Black Independent Movement–that has come to define the 1st District. Over the years, we’ve fought for the same civil rights issues, and I have great respect for his legacy as a Black Panther. Last fall, we were together at Rainbow PUSH to celebrate Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 80th birthday.

Jackson: I grew up with Rep. Rush. Our families have worked together to advance numerous critical causes, both in our community and nationwide. We share a long history of activism. In Congress, I hope to bring new energy to the causes that have always mattered to the people of the 1st District—and to working men and women across the state and nation.

Lewis: Go to www. marcuslewisforcongress.org and go to the ’About” section and read my statement on Congressman Bobby Rush.

Rosner: I’ve lived in the 1st District for thirty years and have never interacted or benefited from Rep. Bobby Rush’s tenure. Swain: Representative Rush knew my father, and I’ve personally spoken with him twice.

What advantage do you have over the other sixteen Democratic candidates?

Butler: The next congressman will be a freshman Democrat in a closely divided Congress that may be under the control of the Republican Party. [They] won’t be able to get anything done unless they’re able to do two things: stand up to party leadership to advocate for change, and reach across the aisle and work with Republicans to achieve change. I pastor a church in a very conservative denomination, and I also have decades of experience working for social justice. So, I have points of agreement with people across a wide spectrum of political backgrounds and I know how to bring them together to make transformative change.

Cole: The advantage I have is my experience as a community organizer and activist. This district deserves someone who is going to do more than pass laws and vote with the party—we deserve someone who is going to be a powerful leader and advocate, who is going to be connected with the district, and tell our stories on a national stage. I also mention my experience as a community organizer and as the founder of My Block My Hood My City because I have been putting in the work, taking action every day to respond to people’s needs, no matter how big or small. Because we have seen our government fail to provide for us time and again, and that’s what I do— that’s why my campaign slogan is About That Action!

Collins: More than any of the other candidates, I have an extensive legislative record that has resulted in concrete and tangible improvements in people’s lives. One of the most recent examples is the Predatory Loan Prevention Act (PLPA), which established a cap of 36% interest on payday, auto title, and other personal loans. Before the PLPA, payday lenders charged an average of 297% interest and they targeted Black neighborhoods. The PLPA, which took effect in March of 2021, has already saved consumers, who are disproportionately Black and Latino/a, hundreds of millions of dollars. The challenges in our communities are a crisis. We cannot afford to give our next Member of Congress the luxury of onthe-job training. My years of experience and record of success as a legislator will enable me to hit the ground running.

Jackson: My experience, knowledge, skills, and connections in Washington make me the best candidate and most effective advocate for the people of the 1st District, and for all Illinoisans, in this race. Thanks to my existing working relationships with numerous federal policymakers and legislators, I will be able to hit the ground running from Day One. By leveraging those relationships and connections, I will be able to get things done that other freshmen congresspeople would find extremely difficult—if not impossible—to achieve.

Lewis: THIS IS MY 7TH RUN FOR CONGRESS. I AM READY. I am bringing the Almighty God & The Lord Jesus Christ with me and putting my trust in Him as I make my decisions concerning the constituents of the 1st Congressional District of Illinois, the United States and the World at large. Not in word but in deed. Thusly we will be far better than we ever were before. The Holy Bible says: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs29:2KJV

Rosner: This is not my career. I am free of machine politics and have no intention to use this platform for power or gain; owing no one except the constituents of the district. I have thirty years of honing my executive leadership skills requiring intensive problem solving and datadriven rationale. Oversight and fairness are the hallmarks of my current career and will be so when I am elected to this Congressional seat. I am an independent, critical thinker and have learned that listening is always more valuable than talking.

Swain: I have varied backgrounds across civic, non-profit and business spaces. This gives me different lenses to look at problems with, and allows me to bring a different kind of voice than my colleagues in this race can offer. I’m a son of the South Side, an attorney, have an MBA, and have spent decades investing in my community and helping young people succeed. I’m a community leader whose experience is unmatched by anyone else running in this race. I’ve led an education non-profit, run my family’s neighborhood business and held various leadership positions in government. ¬

Jacqueline Serrato is the Weekly’s editorin-chief. Adam Przybyl is the Weekly’s managing editor.