MK_021320

4 | February 13, 2020 | the mokena messenger election 2020
mokenamessengerdaily.com
Congressional D1 Democrats (4 for 1 nomination)
Name: Robert
Emmons
Age: 28
Town of Residence:
Chicago
Occupation:
Non-profit Leader
Prior political Emmons
experience: None
Why are you running for U.S.
Congress in the 1st District of
Illinois?
While we suffer from some of
the highest asthma rates in the
country, while we struggle with
everyday gun violence and while
we have some of the highest levels
of poverty in the nation, our
Congressman and even some of
the other candidates who have
thrown their hats in the race are
not offering solutions that would
tackle the root causes of many
of these issues. The residents of
the Illinois First District deserve
better. [Response truncated for
exceeding word limit]
What makes you the best
candidate for this position?
Following the death of my
best friend and former college
roommate, who was shot and
killed in Chicago, I took a leave
of absence from the University
of Illinois. I began to see how
problematic fear can be when
you allow it to be your motivator,
and although it took me
many months to fully process
the death of my best friend, I
eventually turned that fear into
purpose. I returned to school and
completed my political science
degree with the class of 2017.
After graduation, I landed a
position at OneGoal, a non-profit
organization which promotes
college access and persistence
support for students; the same
org that helped me and my best
friend get into college. I followed
this opportunity with a
consultancy position with the
Barack Obama Foundation, UN-
LEASH (Innovation Lab) and a
Young Diplomat title with the
Global Diplomatic Forum. [Response
truncated for exceeding
word limit]
What are the Top 3 issues you
see facing the district, and what
would you do to solve them?
This campaign is about ending
gun violence once and for
all. It is not enough to reduce it;
the lives lost are so much more
than statistics. We need to call
out gun violence for what it is:
a public health epidemic caused
by social and economic instability.
Our communities are also in
need of long overdue economic
growth. Due to a long history of
community disinvestment, corporate
misconduct, predatory
lending practices, and a range of
other economic injustices, our
community’s ability to prosper
has been hampered by those in
power. We must also find solutions
to one of the greatest
challenges our country has ever
faced: the monumental reality of
climate change and our political
leaders’ lack of courage in addressing
the issue. Protecting
our environment, addressing climate
change, and creating goodpaying
jobs in the process are
priorities for our campaign.
Name: Sarah Gad
Age: 32
Town of Residence:
Woodlawn
Occupation: Third-year
law student at the University
of Chicago Law
School; Nonprofit Executive;
Founder of Addic-
Gad
tion 2 Action (A2A) and Jacket Change
Prior political experience: Legislative
Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance;
Law School Democrats; American
Constitutional Society
Why are you running for U.S. Congress
in the 1st District of Illinois?
I joined this race because our district
needs a voice. We are overtaxed, overworked,
and underpaid. Our school-toprison
pipeline is too wide and room
for upward mobility is too narrow.
We top national lists for gun violence,
black unemployment, police brutality,
toxic air pollution, poor quality of life,
and worst cities to live and drive in. In
the face of these challenges, bold, progressive,
and aggressive leadership is
critical. I’m prepared to be that leader.
What makes you the best candidate
for this position?
I have been personally affected by
many of the most pressing issues affecting
our district. I have experienced
addiction, incarceration, lack of healthcare,
unemployment, and the financial
burdens of pursuing higher education. I
fought my way back from rock bottom
to be a voice for people who feel like
they don’t have one. Since then, I have
not stopped fighting for my community,
including by founding two successful
Chicago-based nonprofits. I believe
that a U.S. Representative’s job is to
echo the voices of her constituents, be
a constant advocate who acts on pressing
issues, and retains strong attachment
to the people that they serve. Unlike
most politicians, I’m motivated by
personal loss, not gain, so I will never
sell out my constituents.
What are the Top 3 issues you see
facing the district, and what would
you do to solve them?
Financial inequality, gun violence
and mental illness, all of which are all
inextricably linked. Financial equality
in our district requires rectifying
economic imbalances resulting from
slavery and Jim Crow. Reparations—
especially when combined with measures
to reduce black unemployment
and combat discriminatory practices
Please see Dist. 1, 10
Editor’s Note
Candidate Ameena Nuur Matthews did not respond to multiple requests
seeking responses to the candidate questionnaire.
Name: Bobby L. Rush
Age: 74
Town of Residence: Chicago
Occupation: U.S. Representative
in the 1st
Congressional District of
Illinois
Rush
Prior political experience: 2nd
Ward Alderman 1983-1993,
U.S. House of Representatives
1993-present
Why are you running for re-election
for U.S. Congress in the 1st District of
Illinois?
I have a lifetime of service to my
country, community and the constituents
in Illinois. As one of the senior members
of the U.S. House of Representatives,
there is still work to do in the 1st Congressional
District.
What makes you the best candidate for
this position?
As a young adult, I enlisted in the
army during a turbulent time where civil
rights were beginning to shine a light on
the social injustices in our nation. It led
me on a path of making real change by
serving people who needed a voice they
could trust and fight for them in Washington,
D.C. I have built long-lasting
relationships which have spanned nearly
five decades fighting for people’s rights
as a community activist and later as
a 2nd Ward alderman to serving in the
U.S. House of Representatives for the
1st Congressional District.
What are the Top 3 issues you see facing
the district, and what would you do to
solve them?
1. Violence prevention;
2. Jobs; and
3. Increased access to educational
opportunities.
While they may seem separate,
all three of these issues are interconnected.
A lack of educational opportunities
leads to a lack of jobs, which
is a key factor in the rise in violence. We
must do what we can to stem the violence
that exists today while we work to prevent
future violence. That is why I was proud to
host the Energy and Commerce Committee’s
Subcommittee on Health at Kennedy–King
College, where we discussed the
epidemic of gun violence as a public health
issue and possible solutions. Furthermore,
I have introduced legislation to require a
national registration system for firearms
as well as make gun trafficking — which
is responsible for so many of the illegal
guns in Chicagoland — a federal offense.
I have also introduced legislation that will
help retrain workers for new economy jobs
by providing them the skills and education
they need to succeed. Furthermore,
I have introduced legislation to increase
educational and employment opportunities
in the healthcare industry by providing
funding to attract, recruit, and retain students
through scholarships, stipends, and
mentorship programs for individuals from
underrepresented groups. I remain committed
to finding new and innovative ways
to address these issues and whatever else
my constituents may face.