By: Ashmar Mandou
The City of Chicago has selected 8th District Cook County Commissioner Anthony Joel Quezada to fill the 35th Ward aldermanic vacancy. Mayor Brandon Johnson made the appointment after a robust community engagement process led by the 35th Ward Civic Committee, which recommended Quezada to the Mayor. “The 35th Ward deserves a progressive champion with a proven track record to lead in this moment,” said Mayor Johnson. “Anthony is a lifelong Chicagoan who embodies the values of the 35th Ward, and I have no doubt that he will be a tremendous advocate for his community. I want to thank the 35th Ward Civic Committee for their recommendation and all of the candidates who answered the call by putting their names forward to serve.”
Quezada was raised in Chicago, on the northwest side of Logan Square. He has served his community in various capacities for the past decade, including serving as the constituent service director for 35th Ward aldermanic office, as a community organizer, and as the 35th Ward Democratic Committeeman. “I am honored to receive this appointment to represent the people of the 35th Ward as our next alderman,” said Anthony Joel Quezada. “Our neighborhoods deserve bold, principled leadership, and I am ready to continue building a ward and city that prioritizes working families, strengthens public services, and empowers our neighbors.”
As the 8th District Cook County Commissioner, Quezada has supported a number of legislative and budgetary initiatives to improve the lives of Cook County residents, including the passing of Cook County’s Paid Leave Ordinance, securing $1.5M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for infrastructure improvements on Fullerton Avenue, expanding dental health services across Cook County Health, and fighting for immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, and fairness for Cook County taxpayers.
Quezada served on 16 committees and was the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Labor and the Committee on Contract Compliance. As a commissioner on the Board of Commissioners for the Forest Preserves of Cook County, he has been a strong advocate for environmental protections, renewable energy expansion, and increasing community access to the Forest Preserve system, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
Quezada’s selection was made after a lengthy process by Mayor Johnson and a community engagement process led by the 35th Ward Civic Committee. The Committee consisted of four leaders selected for their expertise, leadership in community advocacy, public service, and their deep ties to the ward. 8th Ward Alderwoman Michelle Harris served as the chair of the Committee. Committee members included: Alderwoman Michelle Harris, 8th Ward, Ex Officio Member; Juliet De Jesus Alejandre, Executive Director, Palenque LSNA; Marcela Reales Visbal, Assistant Director, Center for Latino Research, DePaul University; Christian Diaz, Director of Equitable Community Development, Palenque LSNA; and Stephen Andrew Schneider, President, Logan Square Preservation.
