With a critical mayoral election approaching, we are thrilled to announce that JCUA Votes endorses Brandon Johnson for Mayor.
Brandon Johnson has brought together thousands of people through a bold vision for Chicago. He seeks to make all our communities better, safer, and stronger by investing in people and addressing the root causes of violence.
Brandon has the plans, the coalition-building experience, and the movement to make his vision a reality. He is a proud supporter of the campaigns for Bring Chicago Home and Treatment Not Trauma. Brandon comes from the progressive movement and will be accountable to our movement.
With Brandon Johnson, we have the historic opportunity to elect a progressive champion to the most powerful position in the city. JCUA Votes is thrilled to join our many partners and allies working to get Brandon elected on April 4.
We are proud to endorse Desmon Yancy for 5th Ward Alderperson. Desmon’s decades of organizing experience and years of working to pass the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA) and Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinances alongside JCUA make us confident that when he is elected alderperson, he will be responsive and accountable to the coalitions and campaigns that he himself has been part of for years.
Desmon proudly, clearly, and openly supports JCUA’s core campaigns, including Bring Chicago Home and Treatment Not Trauma, and understands the way we pursue our work — in community and in coalition. He is committed to combating white supremacy in all of its forms, and sees the fight as personal and a point of connection with the Jewish community.
In his interview, Desmon shared his admiration for the work with JCUA over the years, and his excitement for building power with JCUA Votes members in the 5th Ward. We share his enthusiasm, and we are excited to get out and support Desmon this election cycle.
Desmon told us: “I’m truly honored to receive the endorsement of JCUA Votes. I’m looking forward to building the city we all deserve.”
We are proud to endorse Angela Clay for 46th Ward Alderperson. A fifth-generation Uptown resident and committed community advocate, Angela embodies JCUA’s values and will fight alongside us to move Chicago toward a more progressive future.
Angela is a vocal advocate of both Bring Chicago Home and Treatment Not Trauma, focusing her policy goals on affordable housing, economic justice, and police accountability. She has a proven track record working with many local organizations including VOYCE and Voice of the People. She embodies what it means to be an organizer and understands the importance of building relationships in her community.
Angela shares our analysis of antisemitism’s connection to white supremacy and will stand alongside us as we work to dismantle all systems of oppression. Angela understands what it means to co-govern and has committed to including JCUA and other stakeholders in her work. Her ability to place her lived experiences within the broader needs of her community means that she considers all of us her neighbors and will work toward the greater good within the ward and for the whole city.
“As the next 46th Ward alderperson it won’t just be me in office; it’ll be my whole community coming with me.” We look forward with great excitement to helping Angela Clay win in the 46th.
We are thrilled to endorse Lori Torres Whitt for 36th Ward Alderperson.
Lori is a longtime Humboldt Park resident, Chicago Public Schools teacher, and Chicago Teachers Union member who has raised her family in the community. For years, she has fought for affordable housing as a leader of Grassroots Illinois Action, canvassing her community to discuss the importance of lifting the ban on rent control and activating residents about zoning changes that impact affordable housing.
Lori is committed to defending public schools against cuts, supporting public safety and violence prevention solutions beyond policing, and fully funding public resources for our community. She will work to pass Treatment Not Trauma, Bring Chicago Home, and Erase the Database, and fight for community-centered approaches to fair housing.
With a growing, progressive Jewish presence on Chicago’s Northwest Side, we are excited to be a Jewish voice working alongside Lori to create a Chicago that works for the many. Let’s get Lori elected on April 4!
“I am honored to be endorsed and supported the JCUA Votes,” Lori said. “We mutually stand together, envisioning we can transform Chicago through a future where our schools have librarians, social workers, nurses and our communities have the mental health resources they need and deserve. I’m proud to be in strong coalition with JCUA Votes as we chart a course for a stronger city with community, by community.”
Our Endorsement Process
JCUA Votes went through an intentional and democratic endorsement process. The Political Committee first solicited proposals from JCUA Votes members about the races in which we should explore making endorsements. After reviewing proposals, the Political Committee decided on the alderperson and District Council races to explore and established Regional Caucuses to carry the process forward. Regional Caucuses distributed questionnaires to all candidates in each race, interviewed selected candidates based on their responses, and voted on endorsements. The Regional Caucus endorsement decisions were then ratified by the Political Committee and JCUA Votes Board of Directors.
When interviewing and evaluating candidates for endorsements, JCUA Votes relied on the following criteria: support for our issue-based campaigns; alignment with JCUA Votes organizational values; experience with community organizing and social justice advocacy; commitment to co-governance; demonstration of a strong path to victory; and alignment with JCUA Votes partner organizations.