Chicago’s New Mayor, Lori Lightfoot: Milestone Or More Of The Same?

Lori Lightfoot became the first openly gay, black female mayor-elect of a major US city. This is certainly a milestone for the LGBT+ movement, as it represents the integration of queer community into positions of power. As Stephanie Sandberg, executive director LPAC, said: “Now young queer women and women of color can see themselves reflected in a position of major political leadership.”

Ms. Lightfoot ran her campaign claiming to be an “outsider.” There’s a common saying in Chicago that goes “we don’t want nobody nobody sent,” and she embodies this “nobody.” So, now she is celebrated as a symbol of someone who’ll go up against the city’s corruption. “Together, we can and will finally put the interests of our people – all of our people – ahead of the interests of a powerful few,” said Lightfoot, while also vowing to “break this city’s endless cycle of corruption.” Lightfoot has never held elective office, and it’s true that she’s not part of the insider politics of Chicago. However, to call her an outsider would be an overstatement.
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Lightfoot worked in the Richard M. Daley administration (1989-2011). During Rham Emanuel’s term, Lightfoot was chair of the Police Accountability Task Force, a position in which the police murder of Rekia Boyd held none of the perpetrators accountable. She also served as a federal prosecutor, where she helped put many people in prison as part of the war on drugs. In addition to that, Lightfoot worked for the Mayer Brown law firm, where she represented corporate interests as well as the Republican Party.

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In addition, some people are wondering how much of a milestone this really is for minorities. In 1983, Chicago elected Harold Washington, its first black mayor only years after the city had already elected its first female mayor, Jane Byrne.

@lorilightfootforchiSo, Lightfoot claims the times they are a-changin’, but are they?

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