Alderman Michael Scott Jr, 24th Ward, learned who he was and what his plans were for the community he serves at a young age. He has been a part of the North Lawndale as a resident and a political official for over 46 years. He is looking forward to continuing to serve his community.
“North Lawndale was the epicenter of Chicago,” Scott Jr. described. “We had all kinds of great things happen in our community… and we fast forward to now, we talk about how people have been in fear living in the neighborhood and wanting more businesses.”
One of the things Scott Jr. praises for his success for being where he is for a Black man is his education. Growing up with Dyslexia, Scott Jr. did not feel comfortable doing a lot of things when it came to public speaking.
“It felt uncomfortable reading out loud to folks. It’s tough for me to sound things out because my letters are transposed when I read.”
Going to class every day and recognizing what hampered him and finding mechanisms in places helped him cope with his learning disability.
Scott Jr. stated that even if the education system, especially for neighborhoods of Black and brown people, is flawed, it should not stop you from continuing to learn.
“It doesn’t matter what your circumstances are. If you, try, you apply yourself. It’s not easy for everybody. But there are opportunities if you buckle down and it doesn’t matter what school you go to. There are always opportunities for you to learn, for you to move forward, and all of that happens through education,” said the alderman.
He only left the community to attend Morehouse College for 5-6 years. There he received a Major in Political Science and a minor in World and Foreign politics. During those years at Morehouse, he became fundamentally rooted in African American culture and values. He thanks the many people he met at the college for making him the man he is today.
Scott Jr. had intentions to become a lawyer after finishing college, but after seeing how those lawyers treated their clients he changed his mind. “I clerked a law office for some time and did not like how lawyers kind of prey on the vulnerabilities of their clients.”
He decided working most jobs dealing in the public work sphere was more to his taste. “I remember as a young kid just watching my father and mother grow up, work, and serve the community. So for as long as I can remember, service has been a part of my family and my DNA for plenty of years,” he recalled.
Scott Jr. held an array of jobs in his life. From working in the Sheridan Hotel to getting a job at a public building commission, becoming a project area manager for building campus parks, to working on the public ground for the Navy pier. He also helped build the after-school matters brand, moving around the area from park districts to public schools.
“As an area manager, I learned about community and how to organize and galvanize a community,” Scott Jr. stated. He then ran to become an alderman and eventually got elected for the position.
Serving as an alderman for more than four years, Scott Jr. had plenty of time to make connections and bring people together. Working with the Westside Cultural Foundation which hosts concerts and backyard barbecues to doing events with senior citizens. He is no stranger to putting a hand out to those in need of physical or mental health.
For example, he tells about his time helping fellow Chicagoans through the COVID-19 pandemic in as many ways as possible. Like helping them get money from the federal government so businesses could stay afloat during the pandemic; giving food to seniors giving over 60,000 masks; getting cleaning supplies to schools, and helping homeowners have a roof over their heads. Also during that time, Alderman Scott Jr. has been investing in mental health, public safety, and intervention for crimes.
“There is no normal day. I think no day is the same. I would say is every day I get to help somebody different, which is great to me.”
As not only the alderman but also sitting on 10 different committees, Scott Jr. is always busy making sure the community is in tip-top shape. One of the ways he does this is by forming a way for citizens to reach out to him when they have a need.
“We’re pretty much customer service based. We help with a myriad of different issues, anything that happens in the community,” said the alderman.
He also stated that being the alderman can be a gift or a curse sometimes. The gift is that putting a smile on the face of a citizen who needs help keeps them going, with the curse that the job is never over.
“There’s always more work to be done, somebody else that you can help, and sometimes there’s not an opportunity to help them, you want to do as much for as many people as you can. and that’s my mantra in this job. I do the best work that I can for as many people as I can, for as long as I can,” added Scott Jr.
When given the question about moving up the political scale to be a mayor or governor, Michael Scott Jr. said he could not see himself leaving North Lawndale behind.
“I don’t wanna say, never say never, but at this moment I don’t have any need aspirations for higher political office. My heart is in the 24th Ward in making the residents and the lives of the residents which I serve better. Then I ran for alderman so I could change the tenor or the lens in which people look at North Lawndale and the 24th Board, and to help my community move forward.”
He is determined not to stop there as the alderman of the 24th Ward.
The North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council (NLCCC) consists of 300 to 350 stakeholders, business owners, and other folks who may worship in the community. Every month there is a community meeting where folks can come and engaged about the things that they are doing. His plans for the North Lawndale community include a development that is happening on Roosevelt. It will span 21 acres of undeveloped land that hopefully will create 250 living wage jobs for community members.
Scott Jr. also plans to bring back public safety town halls for the youth and focus on what they think should happen for the neighborhood. “I haven’t been a teenager for quite some time. I could think I know what young people want, but at the end of the day, I have to hear directly from young folks. I plan to get a couple of young folks to tell me about what’s going on in the community and what I can do to help them feel safe and have opportunities,” he stated.
In conjunction with the department of human and family services, he also looks to build learning opportunities for not just the youth, but for the younger generations in the form of the Early Learning Program. Scott Jr. stated the most impactful time in a person’s life is how they are educated in the first three to four years of their career.
“We don’t get our children in front of those things soon enough and that’s part of the reason why our educational outcomes are not as high as they should be is a vehicle to get those young people into learning opportunities,” added Scott Jr.
The more books that are put in front of a young person, the more familiar they become with understanding concepts like numbers, letters, and all other elementary building blocks. With CPS helping him, he is able to reach a younger audience. Those in the most vulnerable communities like North Lawndale have opportunities and spots so that they can get a jump on life.
The most impactful part of a child’s learning is the first three to four years. The earlier you start your educational process, the better your educational outcome is down the line.
The Early Learning Program is a way to get the children slots that are gonna help them through Pre-K, Kindergarten, and on through their life.
If anyone has any questions, comments, or concerns for Michael Scott Jr, they can reach him at ouraldermanscott.com, where people can get all of their information. They can also follow him on Twitter @aldermanscott24, on Instagram at aldermanscott, and on Facebook at Alderman Michael Scott, Jr.
Written by Daylontie Jasper
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Interview: Michael Scott Jr. on April 22, 2022, and May 4, 2022
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Alchetron – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Alderman Scott Jr. – Used with permission
Inset Image by Dimarko Chandler Courtesy of The Chicago Leader – Used with permission
