Desmon Yancy, religious charity director and community organizer, is facing off against public policy veteran and lawyer Martina “Tina” Hone to represent the 5th Ward.
Of the 11 candidates running in February to succeed the retiring Ald. Leslie Hairston, Yancy, 51, and Hone, 60, were the top two. With the endorsement of Hairston, Yancy won nearly 26% of the vote, while Hone got nearly 19%.
A major issue in the ward — which covers parts of Hyde Park, South Shore, West Woodlawn and Greater Grand Crossing — are the potential effects, both benefits and drawbacks, of the impending opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.
The center promises to bring needed development to the area, but that also brings concerns about an influx of visitors, associated costs and residents and small businesses being pushed out.
“When we talk about how to remedy that, it’s important that we talk to organizers of the Obama [center], for a plan that incentivizes homeownership, incentivizes mom and pop establishments and protects longtime homeowners,” Yancy told the Sun-Times.
Hone said the Obama center underlines the need to support the longtime push for affordable housing in Woodlawn.
They both are pushing for business development in other parts of the ward as well. Particularly along 71st Street, Yancy said “there are longtime members of the community that have watched it go down with concern about what will happen next.”
Both Yancy and Hone said they can relate to residents because of their race, and that shapes the way they would approach policing and other issues.
“I’ll be honest, my greatest challenge is convincing Black people that I’m Black,” said Hone, who is biracial. “It’s hard, and it’s painful; it’s something I’ve struggled with my entire life.”
But she said she agrees with residents’ underlying concern.
“I get why a majority-Black ward wants someone who understands the full range of both pain of the Black community but also the potential,” Hone said. “I get that the African-American voters in the ward want that, and I want that. We are able to achieve, we are able to succeed, and we want to be taken seriously in that way too.”
As the son of a 39-year veteran Chicago police officer, Yancy said his upbringing can aid him in leading the ward when it comes to policing.
To bolster public safety in the ward, Hone said focusing on youth is integral. She said her work in youth development, workforce development and economic resources positions her to do that.
