Group of West Side faith leaders favor Brandon Johnson

By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ

A group of prominent West Side faith leaders favored mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson Tuesday after urging Chicagoans to vote in the upcoming runof f election.

At the monthly Leaders Network meeting president David Cher ry emphasized only a third of voters participated in the Feb. 28 election, with an even lower number on the West Side The Chicago Board of Election Commissioner’s latest data shows a citywide tur nout of 35.81 percent, with 30.66 and 23.83 percent respectively in Austin’s 29th and 37th wards. Garfield Park averaged 27 percent for the 27th and 28th wards while Lawndale saw a voter tur nout of just 25.84 percent.

Cher ry said Johnson is the candidate who brings new ideas to Chicago The West Side faith leadership group had not publicly favored a ma oral candidate this year’s election. Last month, five the nine mayo candidates, includ ing Johnson joined the monthly faithbased meeting.

“As toxic as Mayor Rahm Emanuel was, he was not as right-wing as Paul Vallas [is],” he said as he urged attendees to participate in the April 4 runof f. He called it “one of the most impor tant elections” in Chicago’s history.

Guest speaker Rev. Janette C. Wilson, pastor of Maple Park United Methodist Church on the South Side, urged attendees to “tur n up the vote” for Brandon Johnson across Chicago

“He can’t be in all 77 Chicago communities every day, but we can,” Wilson said.

Wilson attended the meeting to receive the ifetime Achievement Award for Social Justice from The Leaders Network. The for mer senior advisor to Rev. Jesse L. Jackson added the upcoming mayoral election is pivotal not only for the city but potentially for the whole counry as Chicago is “the lighthouse of the nation.” Wilson also served as national director for Rainbow PUSH and special assistant to the chief administrative officer of Chicago Public Schools

Calling Wilson a mentor and sister to many in Chicago’s faith community, Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church said years ago she was one of the first female pastors he met. He said he then realized not only should women be allowed in the pulpit, but women have always been in the church’s front row and spearheaded movements calling for police reform and justice

Rev. Marshall Hatch of New Mount Pil- grim Baptist said voters can’t allow a candidate who has spoken publicly about ‘letting police loose” to win, adding “this is not a generation that will endure” police brutality

Hatch expressed his support for Johnson, whom he has simply known as Brandon for years living as neighbors in the Austin community A video on Brandon Johnson’s Twitter page shows Johnson attended Hatch’s 65th birthday celebration Sunday at Hatch’s church in Garfield Park Johnson, who could not attend the March 14 meeting, sent a video message thanking The Leaders Network for their social justice-oriented leadership.

“I really wish I could be with you all today but I’m moving around the entire city as we build for a stronger safer Chicago,” Johnson said in the recorded video message “The type of city we envision has been discussed and has been built within the Leaders Network.”

Hatch said while it’s still an adjustment

Vallas also wins support of some Black West Side ministers

Paul Vallas on Sunday touted the backing of do z ens of Black pastors from the West and South Sides in an appearance at Providence Missionary Baptist Church, 8401 S. Ashland Ave., the Chicago Sun-Times re por ted Org anized by Willie Wilson, a former candidate for Chicago mayor, the event was an ef fort to grow support for Vallas among Black voters in his r unof f against Brandon Johnson, an Austin resident, in the April 4 election for mayor of Chicago.

to see Johnson through the screen, he understands why the candidate could not attend. “I think we understand… and I think he knows we got his back.”