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. 

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