Steinmetz StarVolume 84, Number 3, Special Edition – Jan.-Feb. 2019

Chicago mayoral candidates campaign at Steinmetz

Bill Daley, Amara Enyia, Bob Fioretti, La Shawn Ford, John Kozlar, Lori Lightfoot, Garry McCarthy and Susana Mendoza. Others at the forum, but not pictured on this page, were Dorothy Brown (no longer on the ballet), Gery Chico, Jerry Joyce and Paul Vallas.

By Roxana Urizar

While the mayoral forum on Jan. 10 was long, about two hours, most

students found it interesting.The election is Tuesday, Feb.

26. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, there will be a runoff of the top two on April 2.

Thirteen candidates spoke to an audience made up of people from the community and lots of students, many who were writing reports on it. Civics students had made posters about each of the candidates.

Austin Chamber of Commerce president Amara Enyia spoke about financial priorities.

“If more government money would go to the schools and to the community there wouldn’t be a lot of young adults doing bad stuff,” she said.

Ms. Enyia was the other can-didates’ favorite candidate.

When WGN reporter Lourdes Duarte asked who they would choose as a running mate, Ms. Enyia was mentioned the most.

Thirty minutes before the fo-rum ended Jerry Joyce arrived, saying that he was really sorry.

Illinois State Comptroller Su-sana Mendoza spoke forcefully. At one point, when former Chi-cago Board of Education presi-dent Gery Chico referred to her as “Sue,” she replied, “Just to be clear, Gery, it’s ‘Susana.’ The ‘a’ is not silent, and neither am I.”

Regarding the police, Ms.

Students vote for their favorite – See page 2 for the winner

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (above), endorsed by the

Chicago Teachers Union, and Neal Sáles-Griffin didn’t attend the forum.

Austin neighborhood activist Amara Enyia met with students before the forum, which was hosted by Alderman Gilbert Villegas.

Mendoza said she thinks that the force is doing well, but with more police, people would feel safer.

“Their kids will come home and they won’t have to worry about what if something happens to them,” Ms. Mendoza said. Her parents moved to the suburbs be-cause of violence, but she and her husband are raising their family on Chicago’s northwest side.

When the candidates were asked what they don’t love about Chicago, former police super-intendent Gary McCarthy said “February.” Illinois State Repre-sentative La Shawn Ford replied, “That’s Black History Month.

In one of the “lightening round” yes or no questions, can-didates were asked whether they were in favor of legalizing and tax-ing marijuana. All said yes.

“Everybody is going to be smoking it anyway,” businessman Willie Wilson said. •

Shaniya Keaton (above, right) didn’t approve of John Kozlar, the 30-year-old

lawyer, “throwing shade” at the other candidates during the forum, she said.

On Valentine’s Day, businessman Willie Wilson gave out $50,000 from his

foundation to Chicago homeowners, lined up outside the county treasurer’s office, to help them cover their property taxes.

David Lagunas, WGN’s Lourdes Duarte

2 Steinmetz Star February 2019

Star Election SpecialAmara Enyia wins student vote

By Alyssa Avilez

The Star conducted a poll to find out which candidates students like. Amara Enyia re-ceived most of the votes.

“She makes the most sense out of all of the candidates,” junior Jakera Kimble said, after at-tending the mayoral forum on Jan.10. “I liked the fact that she emphasized how she was a Millennial and understood where we are coming from.”

Ms. Enyia, currently serving as director of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, comes from a Nigerian background. Her parents migrated to the U.S. in the 1970s. Ms. Enyia was raised in University Park, Illinois and went to Crete-Monee High School. She graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has a PHD in Education Policy, a law degree on international and environmental law, and degrees in both jour-nalism and political science.

“She speaks five languages and competes in Ironman triathlons,” according to the Guardian newspaper. “Her campaign has included running on neighborhood streets, joining would-be con-stituents in one- and three-mile jogs,”

She lives in the Garfield Park neighborhood, where she has a perspective on Chicago problems of gangs, gun violence, unemployment and ne-glected schools that the other candidates don’t.

“She is a people person,” Salvador Flores said. “She wants everyone to succeed in their lives.”

Due to her emphasis on equality throughout the city, Enyia appeals to a large variety of people throughout Chicago, especially youth.

It also helps that Ms. Enyia is endorsed by

Star Student Survey

Watch the “Chicagoist TV Exclusive: Elderly Aldermen” on Chance the

Rapper’s YouTube channel. Chance, who owns the media outlet The Chicagoist, produced

and starred in the video, along with comedian and Steinmetz graduate Hannibal Buress

(above), that explains the 50 Chicago wards and aldermanic elections also held on Feb. 26.

Chicago-native rappers, Chance the Rapper and Kanye West, who’ve contributed immensely to her campaign, giving $400,000 and $200,000.

“I want to work with somebody that’s about change, somebody that’s about our community, somebody that’s about equity, somebody that’s about fairness,” Chance said, during a press con-ference at Chicago’s City Hall in November.

Chance has long been an advocate for social change in Chicago. Last year, he donated $1 mil-lion to CPS, including $10,000 to Steinmetz. His nonprofit organization, SocialWorks, aims to empower the youth in the city through “arts, education, and civil engagement,” according to his website. He’s also provided fans the opportunity to register to vote at his concerts.

Other candidates also appeal to students“Susana Mendoza is making a change not

only for the society, but for girls too.” – Marlene Anaya- Gomez

“Because Lori Lightfoot has taken tough chal-lenges, she is ready to lead. She will work to create opportunity for every Chicagoan.” – Areli Angulo

“Bill Daley is one candidate that you can trust.” – Davion White

“John Kozlar seemed very energetic and eager to help communities.” – Cristian Tello

“Toni Preckwinkle has a good budget for schools, and will make neighborhoods safer.”

“Gery Chico is the man.” – Devean Clavjo“Willie Wilson will provide more money and

jobs because he is a businessman.” – Kevin Cruz“La Shawn Ford was raised on the west side of

Chicago, so he knows about violence in our city.” – Shaniya Keaton. More at steinmetzstar.com. •

219 students from the civics classes and junior IB English classes cast votes in the Star survey:

Amara Enyia 74 Susana Mendoza 51 Lori Lightfoot 21 Bill Daley 19 John Kozlar 16 Toni Preckwinkle 12 Gery Chico 12 Willie Wilson 7 Jerry Joyce 6 Neal Sáles-Griffin 4 Bob Fioretti 3 La Shawn Ford 2 Garry McCarthy 2 Paul Vallas 2

Amara Enyia, endorsed by Chance the Rapper, won the most votes in the Star poll. Susana Mendoza came close in second place, with Lori Lightfoot at a distant third. The election is Tuesday, Feb. 26. If no one gets more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election between the top two candidates will be held on April 2. Of the 14 candidates on the ballot, Bill Daley and Toni Preckwinkle have raised the most money.

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