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Chicago’s new mayor is a Black, gay woman. Since Lori Lightfoot is the first woman and the first lesbian in the position, a lot of people are excited about the future. Chicago needs better when it comes to politics, but does her past hint that she can deliver?
She’s a former assistant U.S. attorney who was appointed by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Rahm is leaving disgraced after his administration was filled with terrible scandals, like its involvement in trying to cover up the killing of Black teen Laquan McDonald by a Chicago cop.
Lightfoot has stated issues like poverty and affordable housing are important. She was head of Chicago’s Police Accountability Task Force, but she hasn’t always held police accountable.
As chief administrator of the Office of Professional Standards, she actually helped a cop avoid punishment for the murder of Black teen Robert Washington.
Lori has also said she plans to work with Trump and turn closed Chicago schools into training centers for police. But she has also said that she won’t be “business as usual” when it comes to politics.
When she won, she told her supporters, “Together, we can and will finally put the interests of our people, all of our people, ahead of the interests of a powerful few.” But only time will tell what kind of mayor she’s going to be for Black Chicagoans.