For several Black voters and organizers in Evanston, the election to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) represents a turning point for the city and an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to Washington.
As Evanston gears up to elect a new congressperson for the first time since 1998, Black voters are weighing their priorities, including reigning in the Trump administration and advocating for affordable housing.
Senior Pastor at Evanston’s Second Baptist Church Rev. Michael Nabors said electing leaders who are responsive to the Evanston community has been top of mind. He also praised Schakowsky for her ongoing presence in the community.
“I think that Jan Schakowsky has done an absolutely phenomenal job. I think that she has been an elected official that has really been in tune with all of the people that she represents,” he said. “She manages to get out and to be present and to participate in so many community events.”
Voters also have the opportunity to select candidates to fill retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) seat, which he has occupied for nearly three decades.
Early voter and Evanston resident Wolé Osilaja said he appreciates Durbin and Schakowsky’s long tenures in Congress but is excited for new leadership.
“You can’t be somewhere for the rest of your life, so I think they made the right call,” he said. “But overall, I think they’ve done a very good job.”
Early voter Harry Vance said his ideal candidate would strike a balance between voicing opposition to the current administration and advancing bipartisan legislation.
He emphasized bridging partisan divides as a key priority for the next representative.
“I don’t like Trump particularly, but we have to work together. So we need to find some type of common ground,” Vance said “The first thing you see when you walk out the door is, ‘Where can I fight Trump? Where can I fight against (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)? Fighting against the government, that’s not going to get any progress.”
Focusing on local issues, Nabors, who is also the president of the Evanston/North Shore Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he hopes Evanston’s next congressperson will work to retain the city’s Black residents, adding that its Black population has been declining since he arrived in 2015.
According to U.S. Census data, the number of Black residents in Evanston dropped from 16,449 in 2000 to 12,329 in 2020. Nabors cited a lack of affordable housing as the culprit for this change.
As such, a primary concern Nabors has for this election cycle is rising housing costs.
“That may be the one concern for Black and brown residents in Evanston, because our population is diminishing over the years that I’ve been here,” he said. “I think the root cause of that is because property has gone up so high.”
In a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Evanston Roundtable earlier this month, threats to democracy were found to be the leading issue for Black voters, figuring at 33%. Other prominent issues included healthcare, immigration and ICE and the cost of living.
Willie Shaw, Political Action and Civic Engagement chair for the Evanston/North Shore Branch of the NAACP, said the organization is also concerned about the impact of federal attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs on the city’s workers.
She said some Black employees in Evanston have been laid off due to anti-DEI policies that were a focal point of Trump’s first months in office.
“We have had some reports in terms of DEI and employment that there are companies that are letting people go based on what the federal government is saying regarding DEI and of course, they’re not saying that’s why it is,” she said. “It’s just all of a sudden they don’t have a job, and they’re generally either Black people or other marginalized groups.”
Nabors said the opportunity to elect a new representative in this year’s election has brought Evanston’s Black community together. On Feb. 7, Evanston’s NAACP branch held a forum for the 9th District’s congressional hopefuls.
Nabors said he was taken aback by the number of community members who showed up to the event and stayed through its conclusion.
“It was standing room only. We ran out of chairs. That’s how many people came,” he said. “While there were initially only five candidates that responded that they would attend, over 10 of them came”
Shaw echoed Nabors’ sentiment, adding she’s hopeful about Black residents’ interest in Tuesday’s primary election.
She noted high involvement and participation in the February forum and accompanying events.
“There was overwhelming support for the community, really wanting to be involved and to hear what these candidates had to say,” Shaw said. “People are very, very interested in this upcoming election.”
Caroline Gould contributed reporting.
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