Chicago’s First Elected School Board Candidates Meet the Community at Pui Tak Center

On Saturday, October 10, more than 50 Chinatown and Bridgeport neighbors gathered at Pui Tak Center for a community forum with candidates for the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education. Candidates for District 7B, District 8B, and School Board President shared their priorities and took questions on issues that matter to local families, students, and educators. The forum was hosted by the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC), Chicago Education Alliance, Kids First Chicago, Xilin Association, People Matter, CASL, Bridgeport Alliance, Pui Tak Center, MAHA, 11th Ward IPO, and the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Why this election matters

This November, Chicago will elect a fully elected school board for the first time, ending more than 30 years of mayoral appointment. Voters will choose a board president citywide and one representative for each of 20 districts. The board sets CPS policy, approves the annual budget, approves major contracts (including union agreements and charter school operators), hires and evaluates the CPS CEO, and has the power to raise local property taxes. Board members serve without pay.

Chinatown and Bridgeport fall primarily in Districts 7B and 8B, so local voters will have a say in both their district seat and the citywide president’s race.

Who was on stage

School Board President (citywide):

• Jessica Biggs, a current board member and former CPS principal
• Victor P. Henderson, an attorney and CPA who serves on the Urban Prep Charter Academies board
• Hilario Dominguez, a special education teacher and CPS graduate who is on leave from his role as deputy political director at the Chicago Teachers Union.

District 7B:

• Yesenia Lopez, the current board member for the district
• Erika E. Diaz-Chavez, a project manager with the Chicago Park District.

District 8B:

• Juan Ignacio Gonzalez, a Chicago police detective and owner of DreamCatcher Café
• Alexander Angeles, a write-in candidate. Angeles is a recent CPS graduate, a University of Illinois Chicago student, and a former Local School Council student representative.

What candidates were asked

The forum ran in two sessions. The first brought together the four candidates for Districts 7B and 8B, and the second featured the three candidates for School Board President. Each candidate gave a one-minute opening and closing statement and had 90 seconds to answer each question.

All candidates addressed questions around collaboration with the Noncitizen Advisory Board, special education support, language access, school food quality, and how to balance district priorities against citywide ones. In addition, Presidential candidates also shared their thoughts around Black student success and responded to a round of yes/no questions regarding their stance on topics such as school closures and AI usage in the classroom. Both sessions closed with questions from the audience.

To learn more about each candidate and the School Board election, view CBCAC’s voter guide.

Make your voice heard

• Register online by Sunday, October 18, at 11:59 p.m.: ova.elections.il.gov. After that, in-person grace period registration remains available at select early voting sites.
• Check your registration and find your polling place: chicagoelections.gov/voting/your-voter-information.
• Vote by mail: apply by Thursday, October 29.
• Early voting: October 19 through November 3.
• Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Local school board races often see low turnout, which means every vote metters. Talk to your family, neighbors, and friends, and make a plan to vote.

CASL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This event and the information provided are nonpartisan. CASL does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.