Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas are battling it out in the Chicago mayoral runoffs. However, not many know who Brandon Johnson is. He is the former Cook county board commissioner of Chicago and is a working-class Black man. He has an epic history of activism, is a father of three children, and is a married Christian man. Brandon Johnson’s career as an advocate is long and wide and spans different labor sectors as well. Johnson’s qualifications as a productive member of society are too many to count, however, to understand the true depth of Johnson’s character one must at least try.
The Labor Advocate
Brandon Johnson’s political career is mostly activism. Unlike many others, his politics stem from active experience in the field of activism. Johnson is no career politician at all. yet, at the same time, he has enough experience within the field of advocacy for it to make sense for him to be mayor. Johnson has the rare combination of both having enough experience within the field but not making a career out of being a public official. It was previously mentioned that Bradon Johnson was a Cook County board commissioner. He has been in the position since 2018. What this means is that he already has experience in legislation. Since he already has experience both as an activist fighting for serious issues and as a man on the inside he seems to have an incredible rap sheet as a candidate for mayor.
The Black Chicagoan
One of the most obvious things about Brandon Johnson is that he is a dark-skinned individual. What this means is that Johnson, like many in Chicago, faces discrimination for the color of his skin. As a consequence of this, he understands on an intimate level what it means to be a person of color in Chicago.
Brandon Johnson and his family are all dark-skinned Black people living in what many consider to be quite a racist city. The feeling of fear and oppression as a consequence of one’s skin is very familiar to both Johnson and his family. He knows what it’s like for his blood pressure to rise when a police officer stops him.
Johnson knows what it’s like to wonder if his children are safe when they come to and from school. More than this, he is willing to listen and learn about identities that aren’t familiar to him. This means that even if the person in question is disabled, or comes from a completely different background, Johnson is there for them.
Brandon On The Issues
So if Johnson is there for everyone, is an all-around decent man and Father, and even has the experience, how is he on the issues? Brandon Johnson is one of the most progressive candidates Chicago has had in a while. He believes in making the minimum wage a living wage, holding the rich accountable, and will guarantee the reproductive rights of women. Now for many, this is pretty basic. Yet, he even has a policy for those people. “I will work with police and first responders to invest in community-based interventions that de-escalate conflict, reduce violence and make our neighborhoods safer,“ stated Johnson. This is a great step forward for Chicago, considering the police’s impact on communities of color.
All in all, Brandon Johnson could be considered an excellent candidate for many positions. However, the position of the mayor could be where Johnson can do the best work he has ever performed as a public servant. For all the oppressed peoples of Chicago, and for all of the marginalized identities of Chicago, there can only be one choice. Brandon Johnson for mayor of Chicago.
Written by Kenneth Mazerat
Sources
BrandonForChicago: ON THE ISSUES
TheNation: Brandon Johnson Could Be Chicago’s Most Transformative Mayor In Decades By John Nichols
NBCChicago: Who is Brandon Johnson? What to Know About the Cook County Commissioner After Advancing to the Runoff Election By Peter Marzano
