After a victory last winter in the contentious race for Chicago’s 1st Ward Alderman, Daniel La Spata C’03, joked that he’s “off one roller coaster and onto the next one.”
“I didn’t even look at the numbers until about 40 percent of precincts were reporting and I got a call from my campaign manager,” La Spata recalled of the Feb. 26 election night. “Later we had a great celebration at the Radler in Logan Square with over 100 supporters!”
La Spata is a member of New Community Covenant Church, an urban church he has attended since he was a senior at North Park. He hopes to apply lessons learned there, and from his service-oriented mother, as he helps lead the diverse 1st Ward, which includes Wicker Park and Logan Square.
Q: What are your priorities once you assume office?
My number-one priority is building and strengthening community relationships. I will use the coming weeks to visit schools, community organizations, elected officials, and as many leaders as possible. I want to get invested with all of the collaborators I’ll need to serve the ward and the city well.
Q: How will you incorporate your core values, including those you learned at North Park, into your role as Alderman?
I plan to do that in a real way, by building a staff and governing structures that reflect those values. North Park and other spaces taught me that a real leader builds up others and empowers them to serve together. I’ll be looking for staff and community leaders who share my sense of compassion, justice, and are service-oriented.
Q: What was it about your campaign and your platform that appealed to the people of the 1st Ward?
In the midst of swirling scandals and controversies, we were able to demonstrate what accountability and integrity looks like, and focus on the issues impacting struggling families across the ward. Fighting for a more affordable community, pushing for progressive revenue solutions, and promoting holistic paths to public safety really resonated with voters.