This West Side district is represented by Aaron “Jitu” Brown, a longtime community organizer backed by the Chicago Teachers Union. He ran unopposed in 2024, but this year he has an opponent.
Running against him is Austin real estate agent LaPamela Williams, 34, who is backed by Common Ground Collective, an organization opposing CTU and Mayor Brandon Johnson and financed in large part by the chief executive officer of GCM Grosvenor, Michael Sacks.
Austin resident Brown, 60, is one of the most staunch CTU supporters on the board and was a vocal advocate for the unbalanced budget meant to put pressure on Springfield. He is impassioned, but unfortunately is a vote CTU can take for granted.
Williams, who grew up in Austin and graduated from Lane Tech, supports charter schools as a way of giving parents more choice, and believes Chicago Public Schools must better justify its spending. LaPamela Williams has our endorsement.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].
More Top Picks Best Dimmable Night Lights For Nurseries