Mayoral Candidate Sophia King Promises a Different type of Leadership.

Danielle Sanders CNW Managing Editor

to them as well. It’s about leading with a sense of equity.”

On Education

Ald. King is a former educator who taught chemistry at the Latin School of Chicago and later helped establish Ariel Community Academy, a grade school in the Kenwood neighborhood. She says when communities have good schools it contributes to creating a thriving community. Ald. King did not indicate whether or not she supports an elected school board.

They are working hard and come home to a horrible quality of life. They can’t shop in a grocery store nearby, they are sending children to schools outside of their communities and worried about getting shot. Then add increased taxes and inflation, what’s to keep them here”?

On Public Safety

Alderwoman Sophia King has served the 4th Ward which includes parts of Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland and South Loop, since 2016. The only woman challenging Mayor Lightfoot, King announced her candidacy in Aug. 2022 saying she chose to run because “we need more collaboration not more confrontation and we can go further together.” King believes Chicago can be a city that works for all by leading with collaboration. As Mayor, her focus would be on public safety, equity and economic development.

Chicago News Weekly spoke with Alderwoman King about her campaign and why she believes she is the best candidate for Mayor of Chicago.

On Equity

Sophia King believes she is uniquely situated to represent the city of Chicago. She says her lived experience and her experience representing the 4th Ward allows her a commonality that she believes to be beneficial as Mayor. Her ward is diverse representing a large base of successful middle- and upper-class families and some of the city’s poorest residents including the most CHA Senior homes in the city.

King says Mayor Lightfoot doesn’t understand the people she most resembles. “I think she’s pandering to the voters with Invest/Southwest. It’s smoke and mirrors,” King said. “Where was she when black people had an opportunity to start in a billion-dollar cannabis industry? I told her that until they get the legislation right in the state, we have to wait to make sure African Americans are a part of this industry. She said that was water under the bridge.” Sophia King says it adds insult to injury considering that black people suffered the most with drug laws surrounding African Americans.

King says it’s not the first time the Mayor has acted against programs and policies affecting Black people. “I tried to help save Mercy Hospital and the Mayor chose to help the billion-dollar parent company get out of responsibility to our community. I fought for a $15 minimum wage and in my ward, which is predominantly African American, 40% of procurement goes to African American businesses. King says these are just a few things that illustrate the Mayor’s inability to relate to the community. “I’ve been lifting up African Americans and not just from an economic standpoint. I’ve brought true equity to my ward and that’s what I’d bring as Mayor. I want to uplift the entire city but also make sure that African Americans and other people of color get what’s due

“We wonder why our youth are disengaged. We have to engage them in school and after school. That’s why all schools should have some type of programming after school until dinnertime.” Ald. King also supports bring trades and tech programming back into schools. “Not everyone will attend college so we can provide training for our youth and access to apprenticeships. Trades and tech provide meaningful access to jobs with livable wages and the jobs of the future,” said Ald. King. Ald. King also wants to give teachers incentives to return to the community. Using opportunity zones as the vehicle, King says this would provide billions of dollars for the south and west sides. “Other large cities are using this vehicle to grow communities. I would use that housing stock and incentivize teachers and other first responders with zero-interest mortgages and downpayment assistance. This would help populate those communities with qualified educators.”

Opportunity zones are designed to spur investment in undercapitalized and low-income communities and provide tax benefits for investors. Ald King said, “I believe schools drive economic development, housing, and everything else we need so I would use opportunity zones to grow these neighborhoods. Then I would take the increment that we would gain from the tax base and put that back into the schools and neighborhoods. That’s how we could see our communities grow, thrive and flourish.”

On Retaining black Residents

According to the Urban Institute, the Black population will shrink to 665,000 by 2030. For many, the rising costs of living, violence, gentrification and systemic racism are some of the reasons Black Chicagoans are leaving the city and moving to the suburbs or even out of state. Ald. King believes underinvestment and crime are the reasons for many working and middle-class Black families leaving the city. “The devaluation of black life is on display all the time. We have to be very careful about this notion of defunding the police.” Ald. King believes holding violent criminals accountable in addition to addressing root causes will keep communities safer and keep residents from moving. “We can’t let the bad apples in our communities control it and send everyone else out of the community. That’s what’s happening. In addition to redlining and systemic racism, the allowing of black lives to be killed without any repercussions or second thought is reprehensible.”

Ald. King also says Black communities are suffering from years of disinvestment. She believes economic investment is also key to retaining Black residents. “We have to have good schools, housing and amenities in our neighborhoods so they become thriving. To keep middle-class residents from moving out of the city, we have to have safety, good jobs and schools. So many of our residents, middle-class and working folks have jobs.

Sophia King believes in “safety and justice.” In her public safety plan, Ald. King outlines her strategy to reduce violent crime and increase safety. Her 10-point plan includes replacing CPD leadership, adding 1000 retired police officers to fill existing police vacancies, adding 200 more detectives, disbanding citywide task forces, expanding community policing, moving officers to a 2 shift system, creating an office of Gun Violence prevention, expanding alternative responses to 911 and embracing new technology to pursue criminals and criminal activity.

In addition to more policing, Ald. King says addressing the root causes of violence works hand in hand to make the city safer. She says having an office of Gun Violence prevention will lead the effort to focus on those root causes and offer assistance to vulnerable youth. “Our plan is to give a $600/week incentive to our most vulnerable youth to help bring them into the regular economy. That incentive comes with the responsibility of job training, trauma-informed care and wraparound services for the entire family. We can wrap our arms around an individual with the resources and help they need to put them on the right path.”

While she supports more policing in violent areas, Ald. King says law enforcement officers must be held accountable for their actions. She co-sponsored the “Anjanette Young” ordinance that would have banned no-knock home raids by the Chicago Police Department and establish guidelines for police officers’ need to conduct a raid. “This was another chance for the Mayor to stand for a cultural change in the police department. Instead, she chose to keep the proud boy and fire the guy over the consent decree. The policy changes were simple and obvious and it’s unfortunate the Mayor didn’t take that opportunity to make a statement and do what’s right.” Ald. King says safety and justice mean holding police accountable while holding violent criminals accountable as well. “There has to be respect for people’s rights. We have to escalate the consent decree to create a cultural change in the department but we also have to hold criminals accountable. We must have both,” Ald. King says. ‘’ “The consent decree mandates reforms of CPD’s policies, practices, training and accountability mechanisms to address the use of force, ensure police accountability, improve public and officer safety, and ultimately, build trust between CPD and Chicago residents.”-Office of Attorney General, Kwame Raoul”

On Why She is the best Choice for Mayor

Sophia King says she’s qualified to become mayor of Chicago because she’s already been tested in her role as an alderwoman. “Like a Mayor, Alderwoman is one of the most battle-tested positions you could have. I haven’t been afraid to make hard decisions or endure pushback from the establishment. There are candidates who are owned by special interests. I have the freedom of not having any special interest control me so I can work for the people.”