As Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama slug it out on their way to the Democratic Convention in August, we couldn’t help but take the long view. What would the election of a woman mean for a generation of girls? And alternatively, how would the victory of an African-American man affect the aspirations of children of all races and ethnicities?
With those questions in mind, the Step Up Women’s Network has launched a program called “When I Am President.” The program — run through North-Grand High School in Humboldt Park — asks students what they would do if they were elected commander in chief. Students pick a cause and express themselves through photography. So Tribune reporter Colleen Mastony asked five students about their ideas and policy proposals:
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David Cashaw, 16, sophomore: “If I was president, I would work to stop gang violence. In the middle of class, a fight will break out, and the kids who want to learn get interrupted. If I could change it, I would put every gang member in one school and have the cops be teachers. Second, if I was president, I would let poor people live in the White House. I would also build more shelters instead of building condos everywhere. That would give poor people a place to stay instead of sleeping outside in the wintertime.”
Selina Ibarra, 17, sophomore: “If I was president, I would change immigration laws. I have friends whose parents have been deported. I think people should be allowed to live freely in this country. If I was president, I would have a network for people who don’t have papers. I would have lawyers and investigators get papers to people so they wouldn’t be deported. It’s not just Latinos who have these problems; it’s Polish people, Chinese, Arabs and Muslims too.”
Diana Delgado, 16, freshman: “What would I do if I was president? Hmm. That’s a really hard question. I feel there are too many gangs in the world, too much violence and hatred. Every time I see someone fighting in my school, it’s always about gangs. I see gang members on the street in my neighborhood, throwing up gang signs, saying, ‘I represent this hood,’ and trying to sell drugs. It’s just not right. I think people join gangs because they’re lonely and they don’t feel loved. If I were president, I would create a van or a bus ministry to bring gang members to church or to school.”
Shalom Beltran, 15, sophomore: “You know, I basically do all the shopping for food at my house. I do it because I love helping my family. When I go home, I say, ‘If you need me to get something from the store, if you need me to get anything, I’ll go get it.’ But food prices have gone very high. If I became president, I would put lower prices on gas and groceries.”
Adrian Hurst, 16, sophomore: “If I were president, what would I change? Taxes. I would make them lower. I know my mom struggles with that a lot. She’s a single mother. Also, all these condos are being put up. But they’re all expensive. I would lower the price of the condos so a regular family, not just a high-class family, could live there.”