Michael Simmons 826 W. Windsor #2W , IL 60640

EXPERIENCE

Obama Foundation June 2020 - present Deputy Director, My Brother’s Keeper Alliance

• Serve as lead strategist for the My Brother's Keeper initiative for Chicago; responsibilities include managing a portfolio of local block level community organizations serving boys and young men of color, and providing technical assistance and knowledge sharing with MBK chapters in Chicago and across the country. • Building on the work my firm, Blue Sky Strategies & Co., led in drafting the My Brother's Keeper Action Plan for Chicago, publicly released in May 2019, by convening civic leaders in Chicago and developing a five year strategy to create and institutionalize systemic changes needed to achieve broader justice for Black, Latinx, and Native American youth across Chicago.

Blue Sky Strategies & Co. October 2017- present Founder & CEO

• Blue Sky focuses on these areas: equitable urban planning, empowering youth, government accountability, and racial equity in public policy. • Developed a racial equity framework for the Cook County Consolidated Plan meant to address historical injustices like redlining; adopted by the County Board in July 2020 • Assisted minority and women-owned small businesses with PPP loan applications during the first two months of COVID-19 for Action for Children • Organized and led three focus groups that included more than 200 people from the north lakefront, south side, and North Lawndale areas in the summer of 2019 to develop a racial equity framework for Chicago; focus groups included the ex-incarcerated, the housing unstable, small business owners, teachers, social workers, and low-wage earners • Organized four community planning meetings for residents living near the 95th Street corridor intended to articulate a vision for new retail near the new Red Line Station

Sabbatical, Chicago, West Africa, Europe September 2016 – June 2017

• Walked more than 50 miles over 6 weeks through several sections of Chicago and video-grammed my thoughts while walking in light of negative stereotypes about different neighborhoods and people living in them • Traveled solo through 7 countries in West Africa to learn about my distant roots as an Black-American • Also traveled through Europe, mostly through the Balkans to contrast life in West Africa with countries in Eastern Europe

City of Chicago, Department of Planning and Development October 2013 – August 2016 Deputy Commissioner (Senior Staff)

• Collaborated with developers, community organizers, city attorneys, and Mayor’s office to produce legislation that requires Single Room Occupancy apartment owners notify tenants and the City of Chicago 6 months prior to a sale, and allow City to work with nonprofit housing developers to explore financing options to maintain affordability for vulnerable tenants • Served as principal policy adviser to the task force comprised of for-profit and nonprofit developers, community organizers, and policy experts, convened by Mayor Emanuel to expand the Affordable Requirements Ordinance to produce new revenue for affordable housing creation over five years • Co-led interdepartmental effort to streamline process between DPD and Department of Buildings to shorten timeframe of new construction permits • Led 2013 drafting of federal Promise Zone application with more than two dozen stakeholders including MacArthur Foundation, University of Chicago, and city delegate agencies • Analyzed state level legislation with potential impact on the City of Chicago • Proposed policy changes to TIF program to require more local construction and worker hours on TIF-supported projects in high-unemployment Chicago neighborhoods • Developed policy proposals intended to yield an increase in affordable housing units in areas that lack adequate supply and assist homeowners in gentrifying areas of Chicago at risk of being priced out • Drafted and standardized first-ever policies and procedures for Department of Planning and Development programs across all bureaus • Managed 2014 federal audit of Department of Planning CDBG and HOME federal fund. Clean audit resulted with no funds owed back to the federal government • Served as lead city planner for 12 Chicago community areas on the south and north sides (2 planning districts) including Englewood, Auburn-Gresham, Albany Park, and Lincoln Square • Produced planning templates for 2 planning districts, convened community leader meetings, and drafted planning deliverables for each area • Led ward tours for more than a dozen Chicago alderman as part of the Chicago Neighborhoods Now planning effort

City of Chicago; Office of the Mayor May 2011 – October 2013 Policy Director (Senior Staff)

• Served as senior staff level issue expert for food access, affordable housing, foreclosure, vacant properties, homelessness, anti-poverty initiatives, LGBTQ issues, public health, and local economic development. • Developed and executed work plan that led to the development of more than a half dozen new grocery stores in Chicago food deserts, including the groundbreaking Whole Foods which opened in Englewood in September 2016 • Led negotiation and secured final legislative passage of milestone ordinance to require banks to provide tenants in foreclosed rental properties adequate notice of eviction (up to 12 months) or provide tenant a relocation check • Drafted and secured passage of legislative amendments to tighten Chicago’s Vacant Property Ordinance to require banks to secure and maintain vacant properties • Convened banks and led negotiations with City of Chicago around follow up changes to Vacant Property Ordinance • Convened stakeholders, including the Police Department and community leaders, and led effort to draft the first legislation enacted in Chicago that provides civil safety and security to transgender people during interactions with police officers • Drafted and secured passage of ordinance to legalize food trucks • Identified $3M in city budget to fund the launch of 3 lead initiatives in the Plan to End Homelessness, including construction of a new drop-in center for teenage mothers, additional overnight beds for youth, and job placement services for adults • Brokered MOU to launch pilot through which Walgreens began sourcing produce locally from urban farms in Chicago’s food deserts • Negotiated MOU to launch innovative tele-health pilot addressing childhood obesity through Rush University • Drafted and secured passage of ordinance to legalize sidewalk produce carts to bring fresh produce and jobs to low-income neighborhoods • Secured $500,000 from two foundations to pilot 5 new farmers’ markets in Chicago’s food deserts • Stepped in to drive efforts to significantly overhaul the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan Forward policy docket in favor of policy serving residents’ needs

Cook County Commissioner August 2009 – May 2011 Policy Director

§ Collaborated with other state and city of Chicago government, think tanks, chambers of commerce, and community organizations to move legislation related to our office’s policy goals § Audited Circuit Court’s Foreclosure Mediation program and produced written report with recommended changes both to program and broader foreclosure policy development at County, City and State levels § Managed Commissioner’s relationship with community groups, social services, and business community § Identified revenue streams and fees by department and produced brief reports for each. Used reports to find savings in Fiscal Year 2010 and 2011 budgets § Analyzed Fiscal Year 2011 budget and found money to successfully fund CeaseFire program for Uptown neighborhood § Created and led health needs assessment for Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods, and produced written report with findings and our office’s health care policy recommendations § Developed partnerships between Cook County Health and Hospital System and local health care providers in the district to enhance levels of care, with a focus on labor and delivery and closing gap in dental care for the very low- income residents on the north lakefront

Senator (IL), Washington, DC February 2008 – August 2009 Legislative Correspondent

§ Wrote official correspondence letters to constituents on economic policy, taxes, budget, retirement and pensions, financial services, small business, welfare, housing and mortgage policy, and commerce § Represented the Senator in meetings with industry representatives from Illinois § Drafted memos and issue briefs, and monitored pending legislation for senior economic policy adviser, Legislative Director, and Senator

Staff Assistant January 2007 – February 2008 § Advanced the Senator at Washington events and speeches

Senator , Washington, DC May 2005 – August 2005

Intern § Answered phones, greeted visitors, and electronically organized and logged constituent correspondence § Researched economic and foreign policy bills for senior legislative assistants § Attended committee hearings and drafted memos for legislative correspondents

EDUCATION

Amherst College, Amherst, MA BA, Political Science, June 2006

Student Body President 2005 – 2006 § Oversaw $800,000 student activities budget § Launched a campus think tank for discussion and writing about current events § Appointed to faculty committee charged with determining long-range College academic and funding priorities § Led successful campaign to divest Amherst investment portfolios from Darfur-tied investment pools where humanitarian abuses were occurring

St. Ignatius High School, Chicago, IL Diploma, June 2001

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT/AWARDS

Crain’s Chicago 40 under 40 2020

Crain’s Chicago Notable LGBTQ Executives 2019

Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, 2016 Class

Impact Leadership Development Program for African-American Professionals University of Chicago Booth School of Business/Chicago Urban League Fellow, 2015 Class

Windy City Times 30 Under 30 2012

Equality Illinois 2010 - 2016 Board of Directors • Raised $6000 each year for annual “Justice for All” gala • Recruited community leaders, electeds, and local businesses to help bring out young voters in “Vote Naked” drive • Drafting goals to expand activism and public policy goals of Equality Illinois and community membership for 2016-2017

Local School Council, Chicago, IL April 2010 – 2014 Community Representative § Elected by Uptown community in April 2010 for two-year term (re-elected 2012) § Voted on budget items for each school year and other governing policy at Brennemann Elementary School § Tutored 6th and 8th graders each Saturday morning in preparation for standardized ISAT exam

New Leaders Council Chicago Chapter Co-Founder January 2009 – December 2010 • Assembled inaugural Chicago chapter in 2010, including 18 fellows, roughly 20 faculty members and board, with focus on developing young progressive leaders across sectors including campaigns, nonprofits, and finance

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE

Democratic National Convention Illinois Designate, 2012 Convention

48th Ward Democratic Party August 2010 – Oct 2010 Voter Registration Coordinator (Non-partisan) • Recruited 10 regular weekend volunteers and collectively registered nearly 1000 new voters in Edgewater

Victory Fund Leadership Institute 2010 • Completed four day Victory Fund training for prospective LGBTQ candidates and campaign staff

Obama for America Volunteer, New Hampshire and South Carolina Primaries, 2008

Tammy Duckworth for Congress Paid Canvasser, 2006

Candidate Statement

Dear Committeemen and Committeewomen,

We live in one of the most diverse, most progressive communities in the country, and that’s something we all can be proud of. People from all over the world call these neighborhoods -- Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Edgewater, Ravenswood, Uptown, Rogers Park, and West Ridge -- home.

I am a gay black man who was born and raised by a single mom in Lincoln Square. Ours was one of the first black families to move into the scattered-site public housing mandated by the Supreme Court in 1981. My mom opened Salon Pastiche on a gritty block in Rogers Park and ran her small business for 25 years, where she built a diverse clientele from all walks of life. My dad arrived in Edgewater from Ethiopia in the 1980s and opened a bar, the Wild Hare, which served many residents from this community for more than 25 years.

I have known each of these neighborhoods my whole life. My favorite childhood memories are from my grandmother’s backyard parties on Foster where neighbors from more than half a dozen countries would share food and community.

I am seeking appointment to the State Senate because we’re at an inflection point. We are seeing a generational change with younger people stepping up and running for office. As a millennial, I represent the voices of residents - some with deep roots, and some new to our community - who want to see their lived experiences reflected in those who serve as their elected officials. I am stepping up to bring new energy, and the perspectives and voices of thousands of people in this district -- millennials, immigrants, single moms, black and brown people, LGBTQ+ people, white people, progressives, all our small business owners.

We are witnessing an upheaval for racial justice. The killing of George Floyd and the assault and maiming of Jacob Blake, among scores of other black people who have been harmed, calls for a reckoning of a system that routinely erases the experiences of black lives and leaves communities feeling angry, disengaged, and left out of the decisions being made that impact their lives. As a progressive community, we can set the standard for what fully diverse representation can and must look like in the era of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.

Just as important, I am deeply connected to the district. As a State Senator, I will be an active and energetic presence in every part of the district because I know and love this community. From my experience in city, county, and federal government I know that research, legislation, and coalition building is just one part of the job. It’s just as important to go to the block club meetings, the CAPS meetings, and other neighborhood events to make yourself accessible. I will be committed to being a consistent presence all over the district, and bringing our neighborhoods together to work toward common interests.

Throughout my career, both in the public sector as a legislative staffer and as a social impact entrepreneur, I have consistently fought on behalf of disenfranchised communities to ensure their needs are being met.

I did this in Commissioner Gainer’s office when we identified funds in the budget to bring the violence interrupter Ceasefire program to Uptown in 2010.

I did this at City Hall when I worked with local organizers in Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park to pass ordinances that preserve affordable housing and protect renters in apartment buildings under foreclosure.

I did this when I worked with organizers to negotiate policy that protects the dignity of transgender residents during interactions with police.

I did this when I advocated for black, brown, indigenous, immigrant, and English language learners and their families at Brennemann Elementary School as an LSC member.

And just last July, I finished building out an anti-racist policy framework for the Cook County Consolidated Budget Plan, which will seek to rectify historical injustices like redlining in community development block grants. I also am building racial equity, and queer-inclusive strategy into the national youth empowerment program, My Brother’s Keeper, run out of the Obama Foundation, which seeks to remove opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color.

We have a lot of work to do in ensuring small businesses in this district survive COVID, we need to work to modernize the unemployment insurance program so residents get the assistance they need in a timely fashion, and double down on the recent accomplishments of the Black Lives agenda passed by the General Assembly in ending cash bail, and ensuring the new police accountability requirements have enforcement teeth.

In my first legislative session, I want to bring a focus to, highlight, and address disparate health outcomes for people in our district living with mental health diagnoses, and those who rely on Medicaid to access care. We know that the coronavirus has only aggravated an existing mental health crisis that forces many of our neighbors to struggle in silence with undiagnosed conditions and addiction.

In those first six months, I also want to introduce legislation to build upon the economic opportunity legislation just passed in the legislature to crack down on corporations that abuse dynamic scheduling to underpay workers and keep them from being eligible for employer-provided health insurance. Many of those people are our neighbors who are already struggling and shouldn’t have to in a community as vibrant and wealthy as ours.

This is a historic opportunity to appoint only the 3rd openly gay, black State Senator in the country. I am qualified to be the State Senator from the 7th district, and would bring a critical voice to the Senate. I ask for your support.

Thank you, Mike Simmons