33rd Ward - 2023 Aldermanic Race
Laith Shaaban - 2023 Aldermanic Candidate
Laith Shaaban is an Iraqi American whose experience includes an appointment by Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2020 to the Chicago Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on New Americans. Shaaban has also been a member of Horner Park Neighbors and was a founding member of the Northwest Safety Coalition, according to Block Club Chicago. Shaaban has worked as a project manager at LGIM America, according to Block Club, and has employment experience as an affordable housing developer and in municipal banking.
Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez - 2023 Aldermanic Candidate
Elected: 2019.
A Puerto Rican native, Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez has been a longtime advocate for public education, immigrant rights and labor rights. She began her career in public service in Chicago when she settled in Albany Park and acted as the Resident Director of the Albany Park Theater Project. Rodriguez-Sanchez worked there for eight years before throwing her hat in the ring for alderman.
In 2019 she faced incumbent and former Illinois House of Representatives member Ald Deb. Mell, and narrowly defeated her with just 13 votes in a runoff election. Her win ended a nearly-40-year Mell dynasty in the 33rd ward, as Deb. Mell’s father Ald. Dick Mell had previously held the alderman’s seat. She’s the first Latinx alderman to represent the 33rd Ward and serves as the chair of the immigration committee on the council’s Latino Caucus.
She’s also a member of the Progressive Caucus. Rodriguez-Sanchez has championed progressive issues since taking office, exemplified by her introduction of the “Treatment Not Trauma” proposal, which would send social workers and paramedics to people experiencing mental health crises rather than police officers. She’s been a vocal opponent of many of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s policies and voted against both of the mayor’s first budget proposals.
Samie Martinez - 2023 Aldermanic Candidate
Samie Martinez previously served as chief of staff to former 12th Ward Ald. George Cardenas and currently works as a project coordinator for the City of Chicago, according to his LinkedIn profile. Martinez attended DePaul University and University of Illinois-Chicago, earning a bachelor’s degree in public policy and a Masters of Public Health from those institutions respectively. Martinez previously conducted grant-funded healthcare research on socio-behavioral intervention at Northwestern University.
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