Higher Heights for America endorses Lori Lightfoot for re-election for a second term as mayor of Chicago.
In 2019, Lori Lightfoot was elected Mayor of Chicago with 73.7% of the overall vote. She became the first LGBTQ+, Black woman to be elected mayor of any major city in the United States.
Mayor Lightfoot undertaken an ambitious agenda of expanding opportunity and inclusive economic growth across Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities, with early accomplishments including landmark ethics and good governance reforms, worker protection legislation, and closing a record $838 million budget gap, as well as key investments in education, public safety and financial stability. Mayor Lightfoot’s first term has:
- Increased Chicago’s minimum wage to $15.40 an hour for hundreds of thousands of workers.
- Passed transformative, unprecedented budgets, including historic investments in mental health, public safety and environmental justice.
- Forged a massive COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with a particular focus on the communities most devastated by the virus.
In response to the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, Mayor Lightfoot has led a coordinated, citywide response across government, business, and community organizations to effectively address its spread and broader public impact, including the creation of the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team, the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, among other actions.
Prior to her election, Mayor Lightfoot most recently served as a senior equity partner in the Litigation and Conflict Resolution Group at Mayer Brown. Previously, she served as President of the Chicago Police Board, as well as the Chair of the Police Accountability Task Force.
Mayor Lightfoot also served as Chief of Staff and General Counsel of the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, interim First Deputy of the Chicago Department of Procurement Services, Chief Administrator of the Office of Professional Standards, and as Assistant United States Attorney.
Mayor Lightfoot has undertaken an ambitious agenda of expanding opportunity and inclusive economic growth across Chicago. She led the city through the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic with tough, fair leadership — all while keeping or overdelivering on campaign promises.