Angela Clay is an activist and fourth-generation Uptown resident who was among those who challenged outgoing Ald. James Cappleman (46) for the seat in 2019 and is running again in the open race as a progressive candidate. Clay has the backing of Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33), Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (18) and former Ald. Helen Shiller. According to Block Club Chicago Clay’s activism has recently centered on fighting for affordable housing and the rights of tenants from lower rungs on the socio-economic ladder.

Roushaunda Williams has been a social worker and now works as a union bartender at the Palmer House Hilton hotel, according to her   Williams has been endorsed by the Chicago Federation of Labor.

Patrick Nagle is the chief administrative law judge for the federal Social Security Administration (SSA). Before his judicial appointment, Nagle worked in the U.S. Department of Justice and for the SSA as a litigant. Nagle is vice president of the East Lakeview Neighbors Association and has served on the 46th Ward Zoning Board.

Franco Reyes is a software engineer who heads his own team at Provi, an online alcohol wholesale marketplace. Reyes says on his website he’s a lifelong Chicagoan who earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Northern Illinois University.

Former newspaper journalist Ed Bannon’s experience in community service and activism has included serving as president of the Six Corners Association, serving on the Dever Elementary Local School Council and volunteering at The Dunning-Read Conservation Area, where he helped the Park District identify improvements to the land, according to Block Club Chicago. Bannon, who resides in Dunning, has chaired the public relations committee for the 38th Ward Democrats since 2018, according to his website.

Though his professional background is in video production and editing, Warren Williams is not entirely new to the Chicago political scene.

He was one of the founders of the 30^th United, an independent political organization dedicated to serving the resident of the 30^th ward. The group was created after constituents grew weary of the lack of response from their alderman’s office. Some of the issues the organization focuses on include promoting police-free schools, non-police crisis response, investing in public education and sustainability. Williams announced his campaign on Twitter in August.

He tweeted that his experience being epileptic has made him passionate about healthcare for all. Beyond his personal ties to his bid for alderman, Williams that he said his campaign would “fight for a clean, green, affordable, and accessible city for all.”

A lifelong Chicagoan and son of Colombian immigrants, JuanPablo Prieto has spent nearly the last decade of his life in public service as Director of Diversity Programs with the Chicago Transit Authority. Beyond his professional endeavors in public service, Prieto also serves on the boards of directors of La Casa Norte, which aids people experiencing homelessness; Latino Worker Safety Center, which provides multilingual workplace safety training; and the Spanish Coalition, which works to provide housing and education assistance to low-income families.

Campaign Site: https://www.ruthcruzfor30.com/

Bio: Ruth Cruz’s background in public service comes through the lens of education, as Cruz has spent the past 16 years of her career working in higher education. She currently works as the assistant director of admissions at Roosevelt University. A graduate of the Chicago Public Schools system, Cruz moved to the United States from Mexico at the young age of 7. After graduating high school, Cruz went on to get her bachelor’s degree in business administration and her master’s degree in management, both from the Robert Morris University. Aside from her career, Cruz has worked in public service through her volunteer efforts, both for the 30^th Ward office under former Ald. Ariel Reboyras and in the Avondale Restorative Justice Community Court. Her campaign platform highlights “making sure working families can afford to live in our city, creating inclusive youth programs, bringing more quality jobs to the community, as well as more small business grants and relief program,” according to her campaign website.

Jessica Gutiérrez, the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, is running again for the 30th Ward City Council seat after nearly winning in 2019. Gutiérrez and outgoing Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30) competed in a runoff election in which the sitting alderman won by about 300 votes.

Gutiérrez’s experience includes working as a Northside field coordinator for U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s congressional campaign.  that Gutiérrez has been working with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center for the past few years.

Julian “Jumpin” Perez is a popular Chicagoland house music DJ who has appeared on 104.3 Jams, B96, KISS FM, WBMX, WGCI, V103. Perez, who retired from DJing in 2022, founded the Julian Jumpin Perez Foundation in 2019 to help “fulfill his dream of giving back to the communities that have supported, and loved him throughout his career,” according to the foundation’s website. Perez is also an entrepreneur with experience running “multiple retail stores, a restaurant, nightclubs, and a mortgage and real estate company,” according to his campaign website. Perez, who is Cuban, came under fire for making a joke about Mexicans on stage during the 2019 Festival Cubano. He was dropped from the lineup by My House Music Festival in Pilsen and apologized for the comments.

Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez is the 26^th Ward’s current Democratic Committeeperson and attempted a run for alderman in 2019 but did not make it on the ballot following challenges, according to Block Club Chicago. Gonzalez Rodriguez has lived in Humboldt Park since the early 70s but was born in Villalba, Puerto Rico.

She sits on the local school council for Lowell Elementary School and is a member of both the National Association of Professional Women and the Association of Latino Professionals for America, according to her campaign website. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s in legal studies, according to her website.

Community activist Ronnie Mosley entered the race as a clear favorite, with the Chicago Defender reporting outgoing Ald. Howard Brookins Jr. (21) had endorsed Mosley the day of his campaign announcement.

The Defender reported Mosley has also secured endorsements from St. Sabina’s Father Michael Pfleger, Ald. Michelle Harris (8), Cook County Comm. Stanley Moore (D-4), state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, state Rep. Justin Slaughter and Greater Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Comm. Chakena Perry.

Mosley’s advocacy work includes gun violence prevention, cannabis legalization, education reform and voting rights.

Profile in progress.

Edward Ward has worked as a coordinator for Chicago Public Schools’ Sustainable Community Schools Program and has previous experience as a restorative practices specialist, coaching educational professionals in that capacity on how to hold talking circles and peace circles. Ward, a DePaul University graduate, was one of the candidates who applied to replace former Ald. Michael Scott, though the position ultimately went to Scott’s sister, Ald. Monique Scott (24).

A former marine and lieutenant firefighter for over two decades, Drewone Goldsmith was one of 19 applicants to venture for the 43rd Ward seat when former Ald. Michael Scott resigned in June.

Goldsmith is a lifelong Lawndale resident and founded Chicago’s Classic Car Show, which has been held annually in the neighborhood since 2008. According to his campaign website, Goldsmith’s objectives as alderman would be: “uniting and protecting our seniors, promoting community investment, encouraging the Ward to work alongside law enforcement to combat our current crime issues, attract business and residential development, Involving our youth in correcting the wrongs that plague our community, and stabilizing the Ward by continuing to work on its infrastructure.”

A longtime employee of Chicago’s Streets & Sanitation Department, Luther Woodruff announced his campaign for the 24th Ward seat under a platform of restoring hope, rebuilding the community and reconnecting our neighborhoods, according to his campaign website. Part of this plan includes investing in the area's businesses to ensure they stay in the ward. He’s lived on the same block of Douglas Park his entire life, and said on Instagram that he’s dedicated to serving the community and he sees himself and his family as “pillars of positivity in the neighborhood.”

Jeylu Gutierrez is a Mexican immigrant who resides in Brighton Park and works as the district director for Cook County Comm. Alma Anaya (D-7), who has also endorsed her run for 14^th Ward alderman. Gutierrez is one of two candidates running in the 14^th Ward race to replace Ald. Ed Burke (14) who will not run for reelection after more than 50 years on the City Council. Gutierrez, who also serves on St. Bruno Catholic School’s school board, has secured the endorsements of mayoral candidate U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Illinois) and state Rep. Aaron Ortiz (D-Chicago). Gutierrez previously worked as a community liaison, student advocate  and assistant counselor for Chicago Public Schools, according to her website.

Raul Reyes has been a “one-time … political operative” for outgoing Ald. Ed Burke (14),  . After more than 50 years on the City Council, Burke is not running for reelection. Burke was indicted in 2019 on 14 counts including bribery, attempted extortion and racketeering. Reyes ran for City Council in 2015 in the 15^th Ward and placed fourth out of six candidates, garnering 7.1 percent of the vote. Reyes currently works as a staff assistant in the Chicago City Clerk’s Office