2026 Endorsements
Chicago Board of Education
JCUA Votes is proud to endorse four candidates for Chicago Board of Education who are champions in the fight for the public schools that students, parents, and educators deserve.
Ebony DeBerry is a a CPS graduate, parent, former teacher and Local School Council member fighting for universal pre-K across Chicago. JCUA Votes endorses Ebony DeBerry for Chicago Board of Education in District 2A.
Debby Pope is a retired bilingual high school teacher and a CPS parent and grandparent who worked to create the first Green Schools program. JCUA Votes endorses Debby Pope for Chicago Board of Education in District 2B.
Norma Rios-Sierra is a Parent Mentor, organizer, and educator fighting to keep students and families safe from ICE. JCUA Votes endorses Norma Rios-Sierra for Chicago Board of Education in District 3A.
Karen Zaccor taught for 29 years in elementary, middle and high school school classrooms , co-founded Uplift Community High School, and is working to expand the proven Sustainable Community Schools model across CPS. JCUA Votes endorses Karen Zaccor for Chicago Board of Education in District 4A.
Illinois State House
JCUA Votes is proud to announce our endorsement of Miguel Alvelo-Rivera for Illinois House in the 40th District.
Miguel is the Executive Director of the Latino Union of Chicago and a board member of the Raise the Floor Alliance. His background includes co-founding Ciclovamos for transportation advocacy and establishing Chicago Boricua Resistance to aid in Hurricane María recovery.
Miguel’s campaign is centered on community-led approaches to immigrant rights and housing investment. He has noted that this endorsement signals a commitment to “combating hatred, inequity, and state-sanctioned harm.” For Miguel, this partnership is about building a governing coalition that remains grounded in deep community relationships long after the polls close.
Our Endorsement Process
JCUA Votes follows an intentional, democratic process for making political endorsements.
It begins with our Political Committee inviting JCUA Votes members to submit proposals for races where we should consider endorsing a candidate. After reviewing these proposals, the Political Committee determines which races to explore further.
When interviewing and evaluating candidates, JCUA Votes uses the following criteria:
- Support for our issue-based campaigns
- Alignment with JCUA Votes’ organizational values
- Experience in community organizing and social justice advocacy
- Commitment to co-governance with the communities they serve
- A demonstrated, credible path to victory
- Alignment with our partner organizations
This process ensures our endorsements are rooted in our values, responsive to our members, and strategically positioned to advance the movements we’re building together.
Our Endorsement Process for the 2026 Election Cycle will begin this Fall. Check back for updates!