Cicero Independiente Fall 2022 Online Print Edition

Cicero Independiente

Somos un periodico local empezado por residentes de Cicero. Nuestra misión es proporcionar informes bilingües y precisos, conectar a los residentes con recursos e información importantes y equipar a nuestros vecinos con habilidades periodísticas para participar en la democracia local. Creemos en el periodismo que refleje el conocimiento, la resiliencia y los movimientos de una comunidad mayoritariamente inmigrante, un periodismo que re sponsabiliza a los que están en el poder y que sea accesible en múl tiples idiomas y formatos.

We are a local news organization started by Cicero residents. Our mission is to provide bilingual accurate reporting, connect residents to important resources and information, and equip our neighbors with journalism skills to engage in local democracy. We believe in journalism that is reflective of the knowledge, resilience, and organizing in a largely immigrant commu nity; journalism that holds those in power accountable and is accessible in multiple languages and formats.

Equipo / Team

April Alonso Digital Editor

Jesus J. Montero Steering Committee Member & Reporter

Irene Romulo Development and Community Engagement

Luis Velazquez Steering Committee Member & Reporter

Háganos saber lo que piensas. Envíenos comentarios, ideas para historias o preguntas por correo electrónico o por teléfono al: 708-317-8078

Let us know what you think. Send us comments, story ideas or questions to us by email at: info@ciceroindependiente.com

Visite nuestra página en internet para leer nuestras últimas noticias y suscribirte a nuestro boletín: Visit our website for all of our latest news: www.ciceroindependiente.com

Telefono / Phone 708-317-8078

Layout Design by Amber Huff Cover by April Alonso

En la portada está la Señora Carmen Del Real durante su ruta diaria de limpieza. Del Real comenzó a recoger basura en 2021 y se ha dado a conocer entre las personas con las que se encuentra. La gente le da bendiciones y el dueño de un restaurante le dio y le adjuntó una estatua de la Virgen de Guadalupe a su carrito para mantenerla segura mientras limpia.

On the cover is Señora Carmen Del Real during her daily cleaning route. Del Real began picking up trash in 2021 and has become known by those she encounters. People give her bendiciones and the owner of a restaurant gave her the attached statue of La Virgin de Guadalupe to her cart to keep her safe while cleaning.

En esta edición / In this issue

De fortaleza checa a escena de rock juvenil latino, Klas fue más que un restaurante

From Czech Fortress to Latinx Youth Rock Scene, Klas Was More Than Just a Restaurant

Carmen Del Real está limpiando las calles de Cicero

Carmen Del Real is Keeping Cicero Real Clean

El Departamento de Obras Públicas de la ciudad de Cicero elimina silenciosamente 448 árboles desde 2020

Town of Cicero Public Works Department Quietly Removes 448 Trees Since 2020o

¿Por qué es tan difícil postularse para un cargo en Cicero?

Why Is It So Hard to Run For Office in Cicero?

A Letter from the TeamUna Carta del Equipo

Este año celebramos nuestro tercer aniversario como organi zación en Cicero. Estamos muy agradecidos con todos los que nos ayudaron a asegurarnos de informar a nuestra comuni dad sobre lo que sucede localmente. Esta edición impresa se distribuye cuatro veces al año con noticias y recursos, ayúde nos a compartirla con otros.

En esta edición, leerá sobre vecinos que están marcando la diferencia y cómo los jóvenes locales transformaron el restau rante Klas, ahora demolido. También encontrará un docu mento con información que debe saber si acaba de mudarse a Cicero. Planeamos continuar brindándole historias destacan do a sus vecinos locales y compartiendo información útil en el futuro.

Para hacerlo, necesitamos su apoyo. Nos estamos preparan do para nuestra recaudación de fondos anual de fin de año. El año pasado, varios miembros de la comunidad donaron fondos que nos ayudaron a pagar a escritores e ilustradores locales para brindar oportunidades a la gente local. Si quieren apoyar nuestro trabajo pueden visitar nuestro sitio web o hac er una donación durante los meses de noviembre y diciembre en www.donorbox.org/cicero-independiente. ¡Gracias por su apoyo!

This year we celebrated our three year anniversary as an organiza tion in Cicero. We’re so thankful for everyone who has helped us make sure that we inform our town about what’s happening locally. This print edition is distributed four times a year with news and resources, please help us share it with others.

In this edition, you’ll read about neighbors who are making a dif ference and how local youth transformed the now demolished Klas Restaurant. You’ll also find a document with information you should know if you just moved to Cicero. We plan to continue bringing you stories highlighting your local neighbors and sharing useful informa tion in the future.

To do so, we need your support. We are gearing up for our annual end of the year fundraiser. Last year, several community members donat ed funds which helped us pay for local writers and illustrators to bring you important stories. If you want to support our work you can visit our website or make a donation during the months of November and December at www.donorbox.org/cicero-independiente. Thanks for your support!

El personal, el comité directivo y les amigues de Cicero Independiente celebran su tercer aniversario en agosto de este año durante un picnic en la Iglesia Getsemaní. Cicero Independiente staff, steering committee and friends celebrate their three year anniversary in August of this year during a picnic at Gethsemane Church.

De fortaleza checa a escena de rock juvenil latino, Klas fue más que un restaurante

Jojo Galvan Mora

a más de 40,000 hombres y mujeres las 24 horas del día para fabricar equipos de telecomunica ciones. Esto, junto con otras innumerables fábri cas, plantas y almacenes, creó un auge del traba jo de clase media, de cuello azul. Estos puestos fueron ocupados frecuentemente por miembros de las comunidades checa y eslovaca de Chicago, que vieron la oportunidad de prosperar y traje ron a sus familias, construyeron comunidades y disfrutaron de una calidad de vida que en Chica go, de otro modo era difícil de alcanzar. Este cre cimiento le valió a Cicero, y específicamente a la calle 22 (más tarde nombrada Cermak Road), el apodo de “Bohemian Wall Street”, por el número de negocios que pertenecían y servían a checos, eslovacos y otros europeos del este.

Este verano y después de un siglo de his toria, de servir buenos filetes y de ser parte de la comunidad, el restaurante Klas ubicado en Cermak, fue demolido; y no puedo evitar sentir que un pedazo de Cicero se derrumbó con él. Este emblemático edificio al estilo de la arquitectura de Moravia, con sus comedores ornamentados, sus murales que recordaban a una época pasada y sus vitrales, vivió muchas vidas, incluida la de ser el hogar de la escena de punk rock DIY (“hágalo usted mis mo”) de Cicero. Aunque el espacio físico ya no existe, la presencia de Klas en Cicero que abarcó casi un siglo, sigue siendo un recordatorio de la historia, los cambios que ha sufrido la ciudad y de todas las complejidades que esto implica.

Si existiera un libro de visitas firmado por to das y cada una de las personas que comieron en Klas, estaría a la altura de cualquier restaurante de alta cocina y de categoría de estrella Michelin del país. Entre sus muchos clientes, el restauran te recibió (supuestamente) a la banda de Al Ca pone, al ex alcalde de Chicago Anton Cermak e incluso, a la Secretaria de Estado de EE UU, Mad eleine Albright, junto con el ex presidente George

H. W. Bush. También era visitado regularmente por dignatarios extranjeros como Petr Nečas (ex primer ministro de la República Checa). Más allá de los mafiosos y los políticos, artistas, radicales y generaciones enteras de clientes originarios de Europa del este (y posteriormente de mexi coestadounidenses) contribuyeron a la leyenda del castillo checo ubicado en Cermak.

El icónico edificio que Klas llamaba hogar, se construyó durante varias décadas, pero todo comenzó en 1922. Fue fundado por Adolph Klas, un inmigrante bohemio de entonces 36 años de edad que trabajaba como camarero, junto con su esposa Ella. El restaurante de Cicero que llevó su nombre, tuvo un origen humilde, con un mostra dor de comida y unas cuantas mesas que eran atendidas por amigos y familiares, pero que con el tiempo, se convirtió en una verdadera insti tución de Cicero.

De checo a “checo-mex”

Durante gran parte de su historia, Cicero ha sido una ciudad industrial. En su apogeo, la fábrica de Western Electric en Hawthorne Works empleaba

Ubicada entre carnicerías, panaderías y sas trerías, la joya de la corona era el negocio de Adolph y Ella Klas. Una década después de su ap ertura, el pequeño negocio comenzó a expandirse, empezando por transformar el mostrador de la cafetería en un bar que evocaba a una taber na bohemia. Para atender una mayor clientela, Adolph y Ella ampliaron los icónicos comedores temáticos, cada uno de los cuales lleva el nom bre de su estilo particular de decoración (el Salón Moravo, el Salón Ruso/Zhivago, el Salón George Washington, el Salón de la Fuente y el Salón del Jardín). Con la ampliación de su negocio, Adolph quería captar el encanto de la decoración y la ar quitectura del viejo mundo, y al mismo tiempo, reconocer los nuevos comienzos en el continente americano.

Este equilibrio se logró contratando a artis tas locales para que decoraran cada centímetro (por dentro y por fuera) del espacio con fachadas arquitectónicas e instalaciones artísticas que re cordaban a la Checoslovaquia de la que era orig inario Adolph. Uno de estos artistas fue el emi grante ruso Gennadi Gordeyev, que en 1938 pintó varios de los murales que adornaban las paredes del restaurante. Además de los murales, los mae stros artesanos crearon la elaborada carpintería del interior del restaurante, los vitrales y los det alles ornamentales hechos de piedra caliza. Klas reflejaba la prosperidad social y económica de la comunidad de Europa del Este de la zona. El icónico eslogan que estaba en la marquesina del restaurante lo explicaba mejor: “Disfruta. Puede ser más tarde de lo que piensas”. Efectivamente, Adolph disfrutó del éxito de su restaurante hasta su fallecimiento en 1962. Ella falleció cuatro años después, en 1966. Después de su muerte, el esta blecimiento cambió de manos varias veces, pero

Dibujo a pluma del restaurante Klas (cortesía de Jojo Galvan).

permaneció, al igual que la zona, prácticamente sin cambios.

Sin embargo, durante los años 80 y 90 [del siglo pasado], con el aumento de la población latina en Cicero, Klas se encontró en una encrucijada. Su clientela habitual se fue marchando de la zona o envejeciendo. Para mantener las puertas abiertas, los propietarios trataron de atraer a una nueva clientela. Uno de los primeros intentos fue com binar la abundante cocina checa con la comida mexicana. Esto dio lugar a algunas creaciones in teresantes (o tal vez infames, dependiendo de a quién se le pregunte), denominadas “checo-mex”, que figuraban en el menú, como tacos de goulash y enchiladas de pato. Más allá de las interven ciones culinarias, se hizo un esfuerzo por comer cializar los pintorescos comedores para que se realizaran las fiestas de quinceañeras y el bar dis ponía de una variedad cervezas mexicanas junto con las tradicionales cervezas de estilo europeo. Pero nada pareció tener éxito. El restaurante no encontró su nicho hasta unos años más tarde, cuando toda una generación de habitantes de Cicero cumplió la mayoría de edad y quiso hacer algo de ruido.

Restaurante de día, sede del punk rock DIY de noche

Hasta cierto punto, Klas siempre fue un lugar para el entretenimiento. Adolph y Ella solían pre sentar a músicos checos en el escenario, pero nadie podía predecir entonces que Klas llegaría a ser conocido a nivel regional por su lugar en la escena local del punk rock, que está protago nizada por clientes e intérpretes Latinos. Tal es el caso de los residentes de Cicero Franco Morales y Jorge Anaya, que una noche de Halloween pasa ron frente al Klas y escucharon la música en vivo que salía del interior del edificio. Luego de una proposición, una visita al edificio y un acuerdo comercial, Klas abrió sus puertas a la incipiente

escena metalera de la zona, una comunidad que, según Morales, “empezó con espectáculos en los sótanos locales, a veces con hasta 10 bandas por noche”.

No pasó mucho tiempo para que los es pectáculos en Klas atrajeran a un público habitu al y, en febrero de 2007, se organizó el primer Klas Rockfest, que trajo al nuevo espacio actuaciones locales y regionales.

“Había otro local en Berwyn, pero queríamos algo para nosotros, algo para la gente de aquí”, contó Morales. “Todo el mundo respetaba el ed ificio. Todos sabíamos que había estado aquí du rante mucho tiempo”. Y, al más puro estilo del punk rock DIY, Morales se apresuró a mencionar que, al final de la noche, el local tenía que quedar listo para volver a funcionar como un restauran te.

“Montábamos el escenario a primera hora del día y lo desmontábamos por la noche... teníamos que volver a colocar las sillas y las mesas al final de la noche para que el restaurante pudiera abrir durante la mañana”, agregó Morales.

Durante más de media década, los fines de se mana en Klas se llenaron de metal y mosh pits, dando una liberación a toda una generación de jóvenes residentes de Cicero. Muchos de los ar tistas —como Morales— que actuaron durante los primeros días del local, no tenían ni siquiera 21 años de edad en ese entonces. La concurren cia era lo suficientemente importante como para que algunas noches hubiera dos escenarios y un DJ al mismo tiempo. En todos los sentidos, los es pectáculos fueron un éxito.

El fotógrafo e historiador local Jeff Johnson pasó muchas veladas documentando el ambi ente de Klas a través del lente de su cámara. Recu erda que en una noche, se celebraba un espectá

culo en uno de los comedores, mientras que en otro, un grupo de ancianos compartía una comi da tradicional checa; le fascinaba que ambas re uniones pudieran tener lugar al mismo tiempo y en el mismo lugar, a escasos metros de distancia. En ningún otro lugar podría ocurrir algo así, solo en Cicero.

Junto con la nueva escena, los propietarios del restaurante intentaron mantener la presencia lo cal de la cultura checa con actos de música fol clórica regional, ferias de arte y visitas, junto con el Consulado Eslovaco Móvil. Esta doble iden tidad hizo que el restaurante de día y el local de noche, existieran durante unos años más, pero el final se venía venir. El último Klas Rockfest se re alizó en mayo de 2013, con algunos espectáculos adicionales intercalados hasta el cierre del restau rante. Klas cerró sus puertas para siempre a fina les de 2016, alegando dificultades financieras para mantener el enorme edificio en funcionamiento. Tras el cierre, el edificio se deterioró y, después de varios intentos infructuosos de reactivarlo como museo y centro de recursos comunitarios, en el verano de 2022 se vendió y demolió.

Los residentes de Cicero pasados y presentes, se reunieron ante el lugar de la obra para ver cómo se derrumbaba el restaurante. Al cerrar las puertas, una parte importante de los objetos efímeros del restaurante se quedó dentro. La cris talería, la señalización e incluso algunas vidrieras, se tiraron en camiones de basura. Pero no se per dió todo. Algunos de los elementos más memo rables del restaurante fueron salvados por perso nas vinculadas con el local. Irene Hogstrom, nieta de Gennadi Gordeyev, logró salvar un número importante de los murales que pintó su abuelo junto con otros elementos memorables del edi ficio. Tiene previsto donar las obras de arte y los objetos al Chicago History Museum y al Nation al Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, ubica do en Cedar Rapids (Iowa), en un esfuerzo por preservar la historia de su familia y de los checos de la región. Para muchos otros, como Morales, que ahora tiene 31 años de edad, Klas vive en la memoria a través de todas las noches pasadas en el lugar y de las amistades hechas en el trayecto. Cuando le preguntamos si hay alguna posibil idad de que la banda vuelva a reunirse, se rió y respondió: “Todavía toco con algunos de esos hommies”.

La demolición de Klas es el capítulo más reci ente en la extensa y complicada narrativa sobre la conservación del patrimonio arquitectónico de Cicero. Significa el fin de una era y la pérdida de un edificio que en la actualidad no podrá ser replicado. Para una ciudad cargada de historia, en la que los edificios suelen ser los últimos instru mentos para contar su historia, las demoliciones parecen ser algo habitual. Klas contó la historia de los cambios de la población de Cicero, pero su historia nos obliga a mirar más allá de las narrati vas de la sucesión racial y en su lugar, reconocer a los individuos que trabajaron en negocios como éste, que eran construidos para perdurar en el ti empo.

La banda, Veils of Darkness, toca en una de las muchas salas del restaurante Klas la noche del 19 de abril de 2013 en Cicero, Ill. (Foto por Jeffery C. Johnson).

From Czech Fortress to Latinx Youth Rock Scene, Klas Was More Than Just a Restaurant

Jojo Galvan Mora

This summer, after a century of histo ry, fine steaks and community, the Klas Restaurant on Cermak was demolished, and I can’t help but feel that a piece of Cicero went down with it. With its ornate dining rooms, murals reminiscent of a bygone era and stained-glass windows, the iconic Mora vian-style building lived many lives—including being the home to Cicero’s DIY punk rock scene. Though the physical space is gone, Klas’s near century-long presence in Cicero still serves as a reminder of the history and changes the town has undergone, and all the complexities that come with it.

If there existed a guestbook signed by every individual who dined at Klas, it would stand toeto-toe with any white-tablecloth, Michelin-star restaurant in the country. Among its many pa trons, the restaurant played host to (supposed

ly) the Al Capone outfit, former Chicago mayor Anton Cermak and even U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, along with former President George H. W. Bush. Foreign dignitaries like Petr Nečas (former Prime Minister of the Czech Re public) regularly made appearances, too. Beyond mafiosi and politicians, artists, radicals and entire generations of everyday Eastern European (and later Mexican American) patrons all contributed to the legend of the Czech castle on Cermak.

That iconic building that Klas called home was constructed over several decades, but it all started in 1922, with Adolph Klas, a 36-year-old Bohemian immigrant who worked as a waiter, and his wife Ella. The Cicero restaurant that would come to carry his name had a modest beginning, starting with little more than a lunch counter and a hand ful of tables staffed by friends and family, but over time, it would become a Cicero institution.

From Czech to “Czech-Mex”

Throughout much of its history, Cicero has been an industrial town. At its height, Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works location employed more than 40,000 men and women around the clock to build communications equipment. This, along with countless other factories, plants, and warehous es, created a boom for middle-class, blue-collar work. These positions were often filled by mem bers of Chicago’s Czech and Slovak communities, who saw fertile opportunity and brought along their families, built communities, and enjoyed a quality of life that was otherwise difficult to attain in Chicago. This growth earned Cicero, and spe cifically 22nd St. (later renamed Cermak Road), the moniker “Bohemian Wall Street” for the num ber of businesses that were owned by and served Czechs, Slovaks, and other Eastern Europeans.

Crown jewel among the butcher shops, bak eries and tailor shops was Adolph and Ella’s Klas. Within a decade of opening, the modest operation began to expand, beginning with transforming the lunch counter into a bar reminiscent of a Bo hemian lodge tap room. To meet larger demand, Adolph and Ella built on the iconic themed dining rooms, each named for its particular style of decor (the Moravian Room, the Russian/Zhivago Room, the George Washington Room, the Fountain Room, and the Garden Room). With the expan sion, Adolph wanted to capture the charm of oldworld decor and architecture, while at the same time recognizing new beginnings in America.

This balance was achieved by hiring local ar tisans to adorn every inch (inside and out) of the space with architectural facades and art installa tions reminiscent of Adolph’s native Czechoslo vakia. One such artisan was Gennadi Gordeyev, a Russian emigre, who in 1938 painted a number of the murals that adorned the restaurant’s walls. Beyond murals, master laborers crafted the in tricate woodwork inside the restaurant, stained glass windows, and ornate limestone details. Klas reflected the social and financial prosperity among the area’s Eastern European communi ty. The iconic slogan depicted on the restaurant marquee explained it best, “Enjoy yourself. It may be later than you think.” Indeed, Adolph enjoyed his restaurant’s success until his passing in 1962.

Pen artwork drawing of Klas Restaurant (courtesy of Jojo Galvan).

Ella would follow four years later in 1966. After their deaths, the establishment traded hands a number of times, but remained, much like the area, largely unchanged.

However, during the 1980s and ’90s, as the Lati no population in Cicero skyrocketed, Klas found itself at a crossroads. The primary customer base was moving away or aging out. To keep the doors open, ownership sought to appeal to a new clien tele. One of the first attempts was marrying hearty Czech cuisine with staple Mexican food. This led to some interesting (or maybe infamous depend ing on who you ask), so-called “Czech-Mex” cre ations featured on the menu, with offerings like goulash tacos and duck enchiladas. Beyond culi nary interventions, an effort was made to market the picturesque dining rooms for quinceaneras, and the bar stocked cerveza along with the tradi tional European-style lagers. But nothing seemed to be a major hit. The restaurant wouldn’t find its niche until a few years later, when an entire gener ation of new Ciceronians came of age and wanted to make some noise.

Restaurant by day, DIY punk rock venue by night

To some extent, Klas was always an entertainment venue. Adolph and Ella regularly brought Czech musicians to take the stage, but no one then could have predicted that Klas would become regionally known for its place in the local punk rock scene dominated by Latinx patrons and performers. Such is the case for Cicero residents Franco Morales and Jorge Anaya, who walked past Klas on a Halloween night and heard live music emanating from inside the building. A proposi tion, building tour and business agreement later, Klas opened its doors to the area’s budding metal

scene—a community that, according to Morales, “started with shows played in local basements, sometimes with up to 10 bands a night.”

It didn’t take long before the shows at Klas drew a steady crowd, and in February 2007, the first Klas Rockfest was organized, bringing local and regional acts to the new venue.

“There was another venue in Berwyn, but we wanted something for us, something for the peo ple here,” said Morales. “Everybody was respect ful of the building. We all knew it had been there for a long time.” And, in true DIY punk rock fash ion, Morales was quick to mention that at the end of the night, the venue had to be converted back into a restaurant.

“We’d set up the stage early in the day and break it down at night … we would have to put the chairs and tables back at the end of the night so the restaurant could open in the morning.”

For more than half a decade, weekends at Klas were filled with metal and mosh pits, providing a release for an entire generation of young Cicero nians. Many of the artists, like Morales, who per formed during the venue’s early days weren’t even 21. Attendance levels were significant enough that some nights featured two stages and a DJ going across the restaurant simultaneously. By all mea sures, the shows were a success.

Local photographer and historian Jeff John son spent many evenings documenting the at mosphere at Klas through his camera lens. He recalls a specific night where a show was happen ing in one of the dining rooms, while in another, a group of seniors were sharing a traditional Czech

meal, and he was fascinated that both gatherings could occur at the same time and in the same place within mere feet of each other. Nowhere else could such a thing happen but Cicero.

Along with the new scene, restaurant owner ship tried keeping a local Czech presence with regional folk music acts, art fairs and visits with the mobile Slovak consulate. This double identity kept the restaurant by day, venue by night going for a few more years, but the writing was on the wall. The last Klas Rockfest took place in May 2013, with a few additional interspersed shows until the restaurant closed. Ultimately, Klas shuttered its doors for good in late 2016, citing financial dif ficulties in keeping the massive building opera tional. After closing, the building fell into disre pair, and after several unsuccessful attempts at a revival as a museum and community resource center, the building was sold and demolished in summer 2022.

Cicero residents past and present gathered outside the construction site to watch the restau rant come down. A significant portion of the restaurant’s ephemera was left inside when the doors closed. Glassware, signage and even a few stained glass windows were hauled away in dump trucks. But not all was lost. Some of the restau rant’s more memorable elements were saved by those with connections to the locale. Irene Hogstrom, granddaughter of Gennadi Gordeyev, managed to salvage a significant number of the murals her grandfather painted along with other memorable elements of the edifice. She plans to donate the art and artifacts to the Chicago His tory Museum and the National Czech and Slo vak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in an effort to preserve the history of her fami ly and Czechs in the area. For many others, like Morales, who is now 31, Klas lives on in memory through all the nights spent there and the friend ships made along the way. When asked if there’s any chance of the band getting back together, he laughed and responded, “I still jam with some of those homies.”

The demolition of Klas is the latest line in a long and complicated narrative on Cicero’s preserva tion of its architectural heritage. It signaled the end of an era and the loss of an edifice that could never be replicated today. For a town steeped in history, with buildings often acting as the last vessels for telling its story, demolitions seem to be a regular occurrence. Klas told the story of the population changes in Cicero, but its story forces us to look beyond narratives of ethnic succession and instead to acknowledge the individuals who labored over businesses like this one, where they were building to last.

What are your favorite Klas memories? Send us an email or text with your old photos, flyers or an ecdotes for a chance to be featured. Our email is info@ciceroindependiente.com and our number is 708-317-8078.

The band, Veils of Darkness, plays in one of the many rooms within Klas restaurant on the night of April 19, 2013 in Cicero, Ill. (Photo by Jeffery C. Johnson).

Carmen Del Real está limpiando las calles de Cicero

Irene Romulo

En su rancho en Palo Alto, Zacatecas, Carmen Del Real, de 74 años, solía cul tivar elotes, calabacitas, ejotes y papas. Comenzó a trabajar en el campo cuando tenía diez años.

“Allá en el rancho, en cuanto empiezas a gatear te dicen que vayas a trabajar al campo”, dijo mien tras reía.

Se mudó a Cicero de manera más permanen te para vivir con sus hijos hace unos cinco años, pero luego de la muerte de su esposo, su herma na y su hermano menor, Del Real dijo que cayó en una profunda depresión. Entonces, comenzó a recoger basura alrededor de Cicero.

“Le dije a mi Padre Dios que si lograba salir de esta depresión empezaría a recoger basura”, dijo Del Real. “Pongo un poco de la depresión en cada bolsa, las sello y me aseguro de no traer nada con migo”.

Ahora, sale de casa todos los días, excepto los domingos, a las 7:15 con su carrito para limpiar la calle Cermak Cermak desde la Central hasta la Austin y, a veces, hasta la calle Lombard.

“Yo ando como la muerte”, dijo mientras se reía. “Yo junto de todo para echar en mi carrito: condones, pantalones, calzones hasta poquito cagadillos.”

Cuando comenzó a limpiar las calles por pri mera vez en 2021, su hijo José F. Gálvez le envió un correo electrónico al presidente de la ciudad, Larry Dominick, para ver si Del Real podía ser apoyada o reconocida por su trabajo. La ciudad envió a un miembro del personal de Cicero Task Force para darle algunas bolsas y un bastón para recoger basura.

A principios de este año, el teléfono de Del Real fue robado de City View, Gálvez una vez más pidió ayuda para reemplazar su teléfono.

En septiembre, Del Real finalmente pudo re emplazar su teléfono usando donaciones reuni das a través de una recaudación de fondos en línea y contribuciones de un empleado de la ci udad de Cicero. Sin embargo, dijo que no tiene ningún resentimiento hacia quien se lo llevó el 12 de agosto.

“Tal vez ellos lo necesitan más que yo”, dijo. “No debemos desear el mal a nadie”.

A pesar de las preocupaciones de su hijo de que ella salga sola, Del Real no ha dejado de salir

La señora Carmen feliz muestra una bolsa que recogió y que estaba escondida debajo de un arbusto cerca de City View (Foto por April Alonso).

a limpiar desde el incidente. Le gusta saber que su trabajo es valorado y agradece todas las ben diciones que la gente le da cuando se encuentra con ella.

“Vengo a casa y descanso. Me baño y como muy agusto porque ya hice mi tarea del día”, dijo Del Real.

Su trabajo ha unido silenciosamente a ex traños. En la esquina de la avenida 58 y Cermak, Del Real había instalado una canasta improvisada para almacenar la basura que recoge. Alguien lo reemplazó con una canasta permanente. Ella no sabe quién lo hizo, pero demuestra que las per sonas están dispuestas a apoyarse mutuamente.

Información adicional por April Alonso

Nota de la autora: Mientras admiro de todo corazón los esfuerzos de la Señora Carmen, estoy de acuerdo con un lector que recientemente señaló que es el deber de nues tro gobierno local juntar la basura regularmente.

Señora Carmen en la intersección de 57th Ave. / Cermak Rd.

Señora Carmen en la intersección de 56th Court y Cermak (Foto por April Alonso).

Carmen Del Real is Keeping Cicero Real Clean

Irene Romulo

Back in her rancho in Palo Alto, Zacate cas, Carmen Del Real, 74, used to grow elotes, zucchinis, green beans and po tatoes. She started working en el campo when she was ten years old.

“Back in el rancho, as soon as you start crawl ing they tell you to go work in the fields,” she said in Spanish as she laughed.

She moved to Cicero on a more permanent basis to live with her children around five years ago but following the death of her husband, her sister and her younger brother, Del Real said she fell into a deep depression. So, she started picking up garbage around Cicero.

“I told my Father God that if I was able to get out of this depression I would start picking up trash,” Del Real said. “I put a little bit of the de pression in each bag, I seal them and make sure not to bring any of it back with me.”

Now, she’s out of the house everyday, except Sunday, by 7:15 with her carrito to clean up Cer mak Road from Central to Austin and sometimes all the way to Lombard.

“Yo ando como la muerte,” she said while gig gling. “Yo junto de todo para echar en mi carrito: condones, pantalones, calzones hasta poquito cagadillos.”

Back when she first started cleaning up the streets in 2021, her son Jose F. Galvez emailed town president Larry Dominick to see if Del Real could be supported or recognized for her work. The town sent a staff member from the Cicero Task Force to give her some bags and a trash pick up stick.

Earlier this year, Del Real’s phone was stolen from City View, Galvez once again asked for help to replace her phone.

In September, Del Real was finally able to replace her phone using donations gathered through an online fundraiser and contributions from a town of Cicero employee. She said, howev er, that she doesn’t hold any resentment towards whoever took it back on August 12.

“Maybe they need it more than I do,” she said. “We shouldn’t wish bad on anyone.”

Señora Carmen happily shows off a bag she picked up that was hidden under a bush near City View (Photo by April Alonso).

Despite her son’s worries about her going out alone, Del Real has not stopped going out to clean up since the incident. She likes knowing her work is valued and appreciates all the bendiciones people give her when they run into her.

“Vengo a casa y descanso. Me baño y como muy agusto porque ya hice mi tarea del día,” Del Real said.

Her work has silently brought strangers to gether. At the corner of 58th Ave and Cermak, Del Real had set up a makeshift basket to store the trash she picks up. Someone replaced it with a permanent basket. She doesn’t know who did it but it shows that people are willing to support each other.

Additional reporting by April Alonso

Author's note: While I wholeheartedly admire la Seño ra Carmen's efforts, I agree with a reader who recently pointed out that regular trash pick-up throughout our town should be provided by our local government.

Señora Carmen at the intersection of 57th Ave. / Cermak Rd.

Señora Carmen at the intersection of 56th Court and Cermak (Photo by April Alonso).

El Departamento de Obras Públicas de la ciudad de Cicero elimina silenciosamente 448 árboles desde 2020

Richie Requena

En todo Cicero, cada vez más árboles han sido cortados por el departamento de Obras Públicas dejando atrás mantillo, astillas de madera, tierra y en algunos casos dejando los tocones durante sem anas. Desde inicios de este año, los reporteros de Cicero Independiente han recibido preguntas al respecto a través de las redes sociales.

Por medio de una solicitud de registros abier tos, Cicero Independiente se dio cuenta que 448 ár boles habían sido retirados por el Departamento de Obras Públicas de Cicero, muchos a través de órdenes de trabajo que no fueron solicitadas por nadie.

“Es lo normal en Cicero... [ellos] simplemente vienen y cierran algo y dicen, ‘ah, sí, estamos haci endo esto’ y nosotros decimos, ¿qué?’” dijo la res idente de Cicero Alma Velásquez de 46 años de

edad, que reside en la cuadra 5000 de West 23rd Place. Velásquez agregó que no estaba al tanto de que los árboles iban a ser retirados de su cuadra en la primavera.

“No se nos avisó ni dijo nada sobre por qué se estaban derribando esos árboles, o cuál era el plan para reemplazarlos porque hace calor. Hace calor... muchos de nuestros barrios no tienen esa sombra [que nos dan los árboles] que necesita mos”.

Velásquez dijo que el único aviso que recibi eron ella y sus vecinos de cuadra, fue en forma de “avisos de prohibido estacionarse”, colocados por la policía. Sin embargo, esto no daba una razón por la que los residentes no pudieran estacionar sus autos al frente de sus propias casas.

Las áreas de suciedad y mantillo dejadas du rante meses por el departamento de Obras Públi

cas “simplemente lucían sucios”. A Velásquez también le preocupaba que los niños se cayeran en los agujeros.

“Me hubiese gustado que [la Municipalidad] Cicero nos informara de lo que estaba pasando y de lo que van a hacer para repararlo”, acotó Velásquez.

LOS NÚMEROS

Por medio de una solicitud de registros abiertos, Cicero Independente pudo averiguar dónde y cuán do fueron eliminados los árboles por el Departa mento de Obras Públicas. Los registros muestran que durante la primera mitad de 2022, ocurrió uno de los más altos retiros o eliminación de ár boles en los últimos años, a la par de la tempo rada alta de la eliminación de árboles que ocurre durante el otoño.

Ilustración por Robin Carnilius

POR QUÉ ES IMPORTANTE

Las órdenes de trabajo para realizar 64 retiros de árboles desde diciembre de 2021 hasta mayo de este año del departamento de Obras Públicas, muestran que algunos de los árboles retirados eran siete fresnos muertos, o 10 árboles muertos.

La orden de trabajo también dice que dos árboles causaron problemas de alcantarillado y drenaje, pero la mayoría de las órdenes de trabajo —36 retiros de árboles— no indican una razón y sim plemente dicen “Retirar/tumbar”. Los fresnos se han estado muriendo o secando por millones, desde hace más de una década a causa de una es pecie invasora que los está matando.

Aun así, los árboles muertos pueden ser útiles como hábitats para la fauna y la flora, dijo Trinity Pierce, directora de administración de la Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI).

“Hay muchos factores que influyen en la necesidad de derribar o no un árbol. Pero la clave sería ponerse en contacto con un arbolista cer tificado para obtener la opinión de un experto”, agregó Pierce.

El portavoz de la Ciudad de Cicero, Ray Hana nia, comentó que la Municipalidad retirará un ár bol si está “gravemente dañado o es una amenaza para los residentes o el público... generalmente como resultado de la caída de un rayo o de los fuertes vientos recientes similares a los de un tor nado”. Hanania añadió que la Municipalidad no tiene un arbolista certificado, y que “no es nece sario uno para identificar los árboles muy daña

dos que deben ser eliminados”.

CRTI no está plantando fresnos porque no son resistentes al barrenador esmeralda del fres no, que ha matado a millones de fresnos, pero Pierce dijo que lo fundamental es diversificar los tipos de árboles plantados.

“Algunos [árboles] adoran las zonas de suelo húmedo de las llanuras aluviales. Algunos prefie ren las tierras altas en sitios más secos, otros van a permanecer pequeños, por lo que se pueden plantar bajo las líneas eléctricas y no tener ningún conflicto, otros simplemente van a crecer en el cielo abierto”, dijo Pierce. “Así que no solo tenemos que plantar una diversidad de árboles, sino que tenemos que entender cada lugar de plantación y conseguir el árbol adecuado para el lugar adecuado, para que no solo sobreviva, sino que prospere”.

En Cicero, los árboles pueden marcar la dif erencia. Además de aportar oxígeno en un lugar que lo necesita, sobre todo las zonas industriales de Cicero, proporcionan sombra, mitigan las in undaciones y pueden refrescar las calurosas cua dras y calles durante el verano.

Las ciudades y los pueblos tienden a ser más calurosos que las zonas rurales porque los edifi cios y el pavimento absorben la energía del sol y la liberan en forma de calor, lo que se conoce como efecto isla de calor urbano. Los árboles, los espacios verdes y las masas de agua pueden re ducir las altas temperaturas al absorber menos energía y calor del sol.

EL DINERO EN JUEGO

En junio de este año, la Ciudad de Cicero recibió una subvención de parte de American in Bloom y del Canadian National Railway Para plantar árbo les. A través de una solicitud de registros abiertos, Cicero Independiente supo a través de la solicitud de subvención, que la Municipalidad planea utilizar esos fondos, así como $50,000 adicionales de los fondos de la Municipalidad y contribuciones en especie, para plantar 250 árboles de arce rojo du rante el día anual de los voluntarios “Keep Cicero CLEAN and Green”. Los equipos de voluntarios formados por residentes, escuelas, iglesias, la bib lioteca y el distrito de parques vecino, selecciona rán 15 vías públicas para plantar los árboles.

El costo de la remoción de los 124 árboles de este año aún se desconoce, ya que se le notificó a Cicero Independiente que la Ciudad de Cicero no tiene registros que muestren ese costo. Los reg istros obtenidos por Cicero Independiente a través de la Ley de Libertad de Información (FOIA, por sus siglas en inglés) muestran que la Ciudad de Cicero plantó 92 árboles en el mismo período de tiempo que retiró 448 árboles.

Desafortunadamente, no hay una manera clara de lograr que se plante un árbol enfrente de la casa o en la cuadra de los residentes de Cicero. En caso de que los residentes noten que el árbol o los árboles cercanos a sus casa, zona o en toda la ciudad, necesitan ser podados o cortados o si representan un peligro ya que son árboles muer tos, se le pide llamar al 708-652-2490 al Departa mento de Obras Públicas.

Izquierda: Imagen de Google Maps. Derecha: Imagen por Richard Requena.

Town of Cicero Public Works Department Quietly Removes 448 Trees Since 2020

Richie Requena

Throughout Cicero more and more trees have been removed by the Public Works department leaving behind mulch, wood chips, dirt and in some cases leav ing behind stumps for weeks. Cicero Inde pendiente reporters have received questions about this via social media since early this year.

Through an open records request, Cicero Inde pendiente has learned that 448 trees have been re moved by the Cicero Public Works Department, many through work orders not solicited by any one.

“It’s standard Cicero stuff… [they’ll] just come through and shut down something and be like, ‘oh yeah, we’re doing this’ and we’re like, oh what?” said Cicero resident Alma Velasquez, 46, of the 5000 block of West 23rd Place. Velasquez

said she was not aware that trees were set to be removed from her block in the spring.

“There was nothing said about why those trees were being brought down,” said Velasquez. “Or what was the plan to replace them because it’s hot. It’s hot… a lot of our neighborhoods don’t have that green shade that we need.”

Velasquez said that the only notice her block received was in the form of “No Parking Signs” set up by the police. These, however, didn’t offer a reason why residents couldn’t park their cars in front of their own homes.

The patches of dirt and mulch left behind for months by the Public Works department “just looked dirty.” Velasquez was also concerned about children falling into the holes.

“I would have liked Cicero to let us know what was going on and what they’re going to do to re pair that,” said Velasquez

THE NUMBERS

Through an open records request, Cicero Indepen dente was able to find out just where and when trees were being removed by the Public Works Department. Records show that the first half of 2022 had some of the highest tree removals in the past years, with the busy season for tree removal being in the fall.

WHY IT MATTERS

Work orders for 64 tree removals from Decem ber 2021 through May of this year from the Public Works department show that some of the trees

Illustration by Robin Carnilius

removed were seven dead ash trees, or 10 dead trees. The work order also says two trees caused sewer and drain problems, but the majority of work orders, 36 tree removals, do not state a rea son and simply say “Take down.” Ash trees have been dying by the millions for over a decade be cause of an invasive species killing them off.

Still, dead trees can be useful as habitats for wildlife, said Trinity Pierce, the Stewardship Man ager of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI).

“There are a lot of factors that go into wheth er a tree needs to come down or not. But the key would be to connect with a certified arborist to get that expert opinion,” said Pierce.

Cicero town spokesperson Ray Hanania says the town will remove a tree if it is “severely dam aged or is a threat to residents or the public… usu ally as a result of lightning strikes or recent heavy tornado like winds.” Hanania added that the town does not have a certified arborist, and “one is not necessary to identify badly damaged trees that need to be removed.”

CRTI is not planting ash trees because they are not resistant to the Emerald ash borer, which has killed millions of ash trees, but Pierce said

that the key thing to do is to diversify the types of trees planted.

“Some [trees] love floodplain wetter soil areas. Some prefer to be upland in drier sites, some are gonna stay small, so you could plant them un der power lines and not have any conflicts, some are gonna just soar in the open sky,” said Pierce. “So not only do we need to plant a diversity of trees, we need to understand each planting loca tion and get the right tree in the right place. So it doesn’t just survive, but thrives.”

Trees in Cicero can make a difference. Aside from giving oxygen in a place that needs it, par ticularly Cicero’s industrial zones, they provide shade, mitigate flooding and can cool off hot summer blocks.

Cities and towns tend to be hotter than rural areas because buildings and pavement absorb the sun’s energy and release it as heat, known as the urban heat island effect. Trees, green spaces and bodies of water can reduce hot temperatures by absorbing less of the sun’s energy and heat.

THE MONEY INVOLVED

The town of Cicero received a $25,000 grant to

plant trees from American in Bloom and the Canadian National Railway in June. Through an open records request, Cicero Independiente has been able to learn from the grant application that the town plans to use those funds, and an addi tional $50,000 from the town and in-kind contri butions to plant 250 red maple trees for the annu al Keep Cicero CLEAN and Green volunteer day. Volunteer teams made up of residents, schools, churches, the library and the neighboring park district will select 15 public walkways to plant the trees on.

The cost of removing this year’s 124 trees is still unknown, with Cicero Independiente being told the Town of Cicero does not have records that show that cost. Records obtained by the Cicero Indepen diente through the Freedom of Information Act show the Town of Cicero planted 92 trees in the same time period the Town removed 448 trees.

Unfortunately, there is no cut and clear way to get a tree planted in front of your house or block in Cicero. Residents are encouraged to call 708652-2490 to the Public Works department if their town tree, or trees planted on the town’s park ways, need trimming or cutting if they are dan gerous or dead.

Left: Image from Google Maps. Right: Image by Richard Requena.

¿Por qué es tan difícil postularse para un cargo en Cicero?

Local elected officials hold immediate power when it comes to town issues, such as a broken stop light or communi ty funding. The decision-making power lies in the hands of a few public figures. However, many Cicero residents don’t see them selves as a part of that process.

“Larry Dominick is a very inaccessible ‘Lead er’ and ‘Mayor,’” said Cicero resident and activ ist Leslie Cortez, a youth organizer and member of the Multi-Collective and Multi-Generational Group in Cicero.

Cortez says that Cicero leadership does not make accommodations for their constituents to speak on issues of importance and despite the group’s advocacy— including hand-delivering a 50 page report detailing exactly what Cicero com munity members needed during the COVID-19 pandemic— Cicero officials still remain unre sponsive to their requests.

Ed Hershey is a candidate trying to change

that in this year’s general election on November 8, 2022. Hershey is on the ballot for Illinois’ fourth congressional district, which includes most of Cicero and around half of Berwyn. Hershey said that working voters in communities like Cicero are often excluded from local government.

“Working people don’t see that the political process is theirs. This is bigger than any election, there is a real possibility here [to make a change],” Hershey said.

Hershey is running as a member of the Work ing Class Party, dedicated to electing working per sons to public office and ensuring more represen tative governments. He will be facing off against longtime incumbent Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) and Republican challenger James Falakos. However, he said that many candidates— espe cially working-class candidates like himself— will always face an uphill battle.

“There is a huge hurdle to being able to run. The system is designed by the machine,” Hershey said.

He explained that to run as an independent candidate, the necessary amount of petition sig natures is “double” the amount normally needed. That requires a significant amount of time that proved to be challenging for candidates who also work full-time jobs.

Working-class persons are under-represented in government. Workers make up less than 3% of all the state legislatures, with many legislators belonging to a class of millionaires. The issue is not a question of qualifications or electorate bias against workers. According to an article from The Guardian, voters consider working-class candi dates to be just as qualified as any other. Rather, working-class people tend to not run for public office.

Those who do face two main issues.

“Name recognition and money,” said Juliet So renson, an international human rights attorney and a longtime advocate for transparency in gov ernment. She currently serves as Executive Direc

Jorge Martinez Illustración por Jasmin Hernandez

tor of Injustice Watch, a journalism organization dedicated to investigating institutional injustices.

Unless a town’s chief executive is buried by scandal, voters will often be unaware of any other candidates, according to Sorenson.

“Let’s say the [town’s chief executive] is doing a mediocre job. Voters won’t know of the challeng er and will default to the name they recognize,” Sorenson said.

Scandal does not always guarantee the down fall of a town’s chief executive. Cicero Town Pres ident Larry Dominick has faced numerous scan dals since his inauguration in 2005. Allegations of sexual misconduct with a former town employ ee, the misuse of town funds and spreading un backed theories against Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Sorenson said that a large part of why Domi nick has remained in office is not only because no other candidates challenge him, but due to a lack of information.

“With transparency comes the opportunity for the electorate to be informed and have a mean ingful say in their local government officials. It starts with informing and increasing awareness. It starts with education and outreach,” Sorenson said.

Even with access to information, working-class candidates still face a critical second issue.

“Excessive money in politics also plays a coer cive role in undermining the democratic process. A level playing field has to include significant limits on campaign finance. Otherwise, money talks,” Sorenson said.

Cicero is notorious for the influence money has on politics, according to an article from The Guardian. Previous Town President, Betty Loren Maltese, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for attempting to steal $12 million from the town’s funds. A 2015 Huffpost article went as far as to call Cicero “ripe for corruption.”

Despite the challenges this reputation brings, working-class candidates have still tried to run for office. In 2021, Cicero resident and Morton athlet ic coach Ricardo “Santi'' Santillan launched his campaign for Cicero Town President as a write-in candidate. Launching his campaign in Thanks giving 2020, Santillan found his movement quickly gaining speed until he began facing legal backlash from town leadership. The legal claims attempted to disqualify him as a legitimate can didate for write-in candidacy, stating that Santil lan did not have a city sticker and did not reside in Cicero. Despite having lived in Cicero for two years before starting his campaign.

After these attempts proved unsuccessful, the town’s legal team attempted to disqualify the entire process of write-in candidacy as a whole. Despite early signs that the Cook County judg

es would rule in Santi’s haver, they ended their five-day deliberation having ruled that Santi was unable to run as a write-in candidate in Cicero, marking the end of his campaign.

Hershey and Santi have both tried to run for office as outsiders, but are quickly met with heavy resistance. Despite the challenges, working-class candidates are not alone in their campaigns. Or ganizations like Run For Something lead national movements to assist everyday citizens to run for public office. Run For Something works with can didates who are committed to representing their communities, regardless of their backgrounds.

“Candidates feel like they have to do this by themselves and we always say to candidates early [in their campaign] that you really can’t do this alone,” said Kandice Harris, the Midwestern Re gional Director at Run For Something.

Harris works closely with candidates in Cook County.

Harris said that many candidates feel an inter nalized fear that they’re asking too much of their supporters. However, she said that candidates must abandon this negative mindset if they hope to run for office.

“Candidates don’t realize how much people want to help them. When you see people running

successful campaigns it's because they tapped their network and let people know what they needed,” Harris said.

Manny Espitia, the Northern Regional Direc tor at Run for Something and New Hampshire State Representative, said anybody can be an elected official. He said they have care about the commu nity and are meeting the needs of their constitu ents

Espitia was a candidate supported by Run For Something and now works to support other can didates seeking higher office. He said that any preconceived notion of what an elected official should look like is false.

“Ground your campaign on something that is meaningful,” Espitia said.

Espititia said that, often, the “right” person for the job doesn’t see themselves in the same light and it takes a community to rally behind a can didate before they’re convinced. Once they get that to that point, Espitia said candidates should listen to the issue of the community and be au thentic.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Running for of fice is a big lift but when you have people there to support you, you can really engage people,” Espi tia said.

Why Is It So Hard to Run For Office in Cicero?

Local elected officials hold immediate power when it comes to town issues, such as a broken stop light or communi ty funding. The decision-making power lies in the hands of a few public figures. However, many Cicero residents don’t see them selves as a part of that process.

“Larry Dominick is a very inaccessible ‘Lead er’ and ‘Mayor,’” said Cicero resident and activ ist Leslie Cortez, a youth organizer and member of the Multi-Collective and Multi-Generational Group in Cicero.

Cortez says that Cicero leadership does not make accommodations for their constituents to speak on issues of importance and despite the group’s advocacy— including hand-delivering a 50 page report detailing exactly what Cicero com munity members needed during the COVID-19 pandemic— Cicero officials still remain unre sponsive to their requests.

Ed Hershey is a candidate trying to change

that in this year’s general election on November 8, 2022. Hershey is on the ballot for Illinois’ fourth congressional district, which includes most of Cicero and around half of Berwyn. Hershey said that working voters in communities like Cicero are often excluded from local government.

“Working people don’t see that the political process is theirs. This is bigger than any election, there is a real possibility here [to make a change],” Hershey said.

Hershey is running as a member of the Work ing Class Party, dedicated to electing working per sons to public office and ensuring more represen tative governments. He will be facing off against longtime incumbent Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) and Republican challenger James Falakos. However, he said that many candidates— espe cially working-class candidates like himself— will always face an uphill battle.

“There is a huge hurdle to being able to run. The system is designed by the machine,” Hershey said.

He explained that to run as an independent candidate, the necessary amount of petition sig natures is “double” the amount normally needed. That requires a significant amount of time that proved to be challenging for candidates who also work full-time jobs.

Working-class persons are under-represented in government. Workers make up less than 3% of all the state legislatures, with many legislators belonging to a class of millionaires. The issue is not a question of qualifications or electorate bias against workers. According to an article from The Guardian, voters consider working-class candi dates to be just as qualified as any other. Rather, working-class people tend to not run for public office.

Those who do face two main issues.

“Name recognition and money,” said Juliet So renson, an international human rights attorney and a longtime advocate for transparency in gov ernment. She currently serves as Executive Direc

Jorge Martinez

Illustration by Jasmin Hernandez

tor of Injustice Watch, a journalism organization dedicated to investigating institutional injustices.

Unless a town’s chief executive is buried by scandal, voters will often be unaware of any other candidates, according to Sorenson.

“Let’s say the [town’s chief executive] is doing a mediocre job. Voters won’t know of the challeng er and will default to the name they recognize,” Sorenson said.

Scandal does not always guarantee the down fall of a town’s chief executive. Cicero Town Pres ident Larry Dominick has faced numerous scan dals since his inauguration in 2005. Allegations of sexual misconduct with a former town employ ee, the misuse of town funds and spreading un backed theories against Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Sorenson said that a large part of why Domi nick has remained in office is not only because no other candidates challenge him, but due to a lack of information.

“With transparency comes the opportunity for the electorate to be informed and have a mean ingful say in their local government officials. It starts with informing and increasing awareness. It starts with education and outreach,” Sorenson said.

Even with access to information, working-class candidates still face a critical second issue.

“Excessive money in politics also plays a coer cive role in undermining the democratic process. A level playing field has to include significant limits on campaign finance. Otherwise, money talks,” Sorenson said.

Cicero is notorious for the influence money has on politics, according to an article from The Guardian. Previous Town President, Betty Loren Maltese, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for attempting to steal $12 million from the town’s funds. A 2015 Huffpost article went as far as to call Cicero “ripe for corruption.”

Despite the challenges this reputation brings, working-class candidates have still tried to run for office. In 2021, Cicero resident and Morton athlet ic coach Ricardo “Santi'' Santillan launched his campaign for Cicero Town President as a write-in candidate. Launching his campaign in Thanks giving 2020, Santillan found his movement quickly gaining speed until he began facing legal backlash from town leadership. The legal claims attempted to disqualify him as a legitimate can didate for write-in candidacy, stating that Santil lan did not have a city sticker and did not reside in Cicero. Despite having lived in Cicero for two years before starting his campaign.

After these attempts proved unsuccessful, the town’s legal team attempted to disqualify the entire process of write-in candidacy as a whole. Despite early signs that the Cook County judg

es would rule in Santi’s haver, they ended their five-day deliberation having ruled that Santi was unable to run as a write-in candidate in Cicero, marking the end of his campaign.

Hershey and Santi have both tried to run for office as outsiders, but are quickly met with heavy resistance. Despite the challenges, working-class candidates are not alone in their campaigns. Or ganizations like Run For Something lead national movements to assist everyday citizens to run for public office. Run For Something works with can didates who are committed to representing their communities, regardless of their backgrounds.

“Candidates feel like they have to do this by themselves and we always say to candidates early [in their campaign] that you really can’t do this alone,” said Kandice Harris, the Midwestern Re gional Director at Run For Something.

Harris works closely with candidates in Cook County.

Harris said that many candidates feel an inter nalized fear that they’re asking too much of their supporters. However, she said that candidates must abandon this negative mindset if they hope to run for office.

“Candidates don’t realize how much people want to help them. When you see people running

successful campaigns it's because they tapped their network and let people know what they needed,” Harris said.

Manny Espitia, the Northern Regional Direc tor at Run for Something and New Hampshire State Representative, said anybody can be an elected official. He said they have care about the commu nity and are meeting the needs of their constitu ents

Espitia was a candidate supported by Run For Something and now works to support other can didates seeking higher office. He said that any preconceived notion of what an elected official should look like is false.

“Ground your campaign on something that is meaningful,” Espitia said.

Espititia said that, often, the “right” person for the job doesn’t see themselves in the same light and it takes a community to rally behind a can didate before they’re convinced. Once they get that to that point, Espitia said candidates should listen to the issue of the community and be au thentic.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Running for of fice is a big lift but when you have people there to support you, you can really engage people,” Espi tia said.