Brandon Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brandon Johnson
|
|
|---|---|
Johnson in 2024
|
|
| 57th Mayor of Chicago | |
| Assumed office May 15, 2023 |
|
| Deputy | Walter Burnett Jr. |
| Preceded by | Lori Lightfoot |
| Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from the 1st district |
|
| In office December 3, 2018 – May 15, 2023 |
|
| Preceded by | Richard Boykin |
| Succeeded by | Tara Stamps |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 27, 1976 Elgin, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Stacie Rencher
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Austin, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Aurora University (BA, MA) |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
Brandon Johnson (born March 27, 1976) is an American politician and former teacher. He is currently the 57th Mayor of Chicago, a big city in Illinois. He started this job in 2023. Before becoming mayor, Johnson was a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 2018 to 2023. He is part of the Democratic Party.
Johnson was born and grew up in Elgin, Illinois. He began his career teaching social studies in Chicago Public Schools. He was also very involved with the Chicago Teachers Union, helping with their strike in 2012. In 2018, Johnson was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He represented parts of Chicago's West Side and some western suburbs. He was re-elected in 2022.
In 2023, Johnson successfully ran for mayor of Chicago. He won the election after a second round of voting against Paul Vallas. He became mayor on May 15, 2023. Throughout his political career, Johnson has been known for his progressive ideas. As mayor, he has focused on helping people without homes and improving schools and police services.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johnson was born in Elgin, Illinois. He was one of ten children. His father was a pastor and also worked at the Elgin Mental Health Center. His parents sometimes took care of foster children. Johnson's mother passed away when he was nineteen years old.
Johnson met his wife, Stacie Rencher, at a religious meeting. They got married when he was 22 years old.
He went to Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. He earned a bachelor's degree in youth development in 2004. Later, in 2007, he earned a master's degree in teaching from the same university.
Early Career as a Teacher and Organizer
From 2007 to 2010, Johnson worked as a social studies teacher. He taught at Jenner Academy Elementary, a public school in Chicago. After that, he taught for a short time at George Westinghouse College Prep high school. Both schools are part of the Chicago Public Schools system.
In 2011, Johnson became an organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union. He helped plan and lead the 2012 Chicago teachers strike. He also helped with campaigns during the 2015 Chicago mayoral and aldermanic elections.
Johnson and his family live in the Austin neighborhood, which is on the West Side of Chicago.
Cook County Commissioner (2018–2023)
Johnson ran for the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2018. He was supported by many labor groups and progressive organizations, including the Chicago Teachers Union. He won the primary election by a small number of votes. He then ran unopposed in the general election and became a commissioner on December 3, 2018.
As a commissioner, Johnson led the effort to pass the Just Housing Ordinance in 2019. This rule stopped landlords from asking about a person's criminal history when they applied for housing.
In 2019, Johnson supported teachers and staff during the 2019 Chicago Public Schools Strike. He wrote letters to newspapers showing his support. He was re-elected as commissioner in 2022. During his time as commissioner, he worked closely with the Board President, Toni Preckwinkle.
2023 Mayoral Campaign
.png)
Brandon Johnson was elected the Mayor of Chicago in the city's 2023 election. He became the third Black person to be elected mayor of Chicago. He was also the first mayor from the city's West Side since the 1930s. Johnson officially became Chicago's 57th mayor on May 15, 2023.
First Round of Voting
Johnson announced he was running for mayor on October 27, 2022. His campaign received support from many progressive groups and unions, including the Chicago Teachers Union.
Johnson was seen as a progressive candidate. His campaign focused on improving Chicago Public Schools, making public safety better with non-police responses for mental health, and helping people experiencing homelessness. He also suggested raising money through new or increased taxes on things like airlines and expensive real estate. He was the only candidate who did not want to hire more police officers. Instead, he suggested investing in violence prevention and youth programs.
In the first round of the election on February 28, Johnson came in second place with about 22% of the votes. He then moved on to a second round of voting, called a runoff election, where he faced Paul Vallas.
Runoff Election
After the first round, other candidates who did not win, like U.S. Congressman Chuy García, supported Johnson. Many important figures also endorsed Johnson, including activist Jesse Jackson and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Johnson criticized Paul Vallas for his connections to Republican groups. Johnson said, "Chicago cannot afford Republicans like Paul Vallas." Vallas responded by saying he was a "lifelong Democrat." Johnson also said that Vallas had harmed Chicago Public Schools' money situation when he was in charge. Vallas, in turn, said Johnson lacked "substance" and accused him of wanting to "defund the police."
On April 4, Johnson won the runoff election against Vallas. Many news outlets called his win an "upset victory" because Vallas had raised much more money for his campaign. Johnson's victory was seen as a result of strong community organizing.
Mayor of Chicago (2023–Present)
Starting as Mayor
Many people who helped Johnson prepare for his new role had connections to labor unions.
After winning the election, Mayor-elect Johnson met with the outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot to discuss the changeover. He also met with Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker and other state officials.
In April 2023, Chicago was chosen to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Johnson had supported the city's bid to host this big event.
On May 15, 2023, Johnson was officially sworn in as mayor. On his first day, he signed four executive orders. These orders were about public safety, helping new arrivals to the city, and creating job opportunities for young people.
Key Policies and Actions
In October 2023, the City Council passed the "One Fair Wage" rule with Johnson's support. This rule will gradually remove the lower wage for workers who earn tips by July 1, 2028.
Johnson has also worked to make it easier to build new homes and businesses in Chicago. He supported the "Bring Chicago Home" plan during his campaign. This plan aimed to increase a tax on very expensive property sales to help fund affordable housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. However, voters rejected this plan in March 2024.
Chicago Public Schools
In July 2023, Johnson appointed new members to the Chicago Board of Education. He named Jianan Shi as the new board president.
In 2024, the city was negotiating a new contract with the Chicago Teachers Union, which was Johnson's former employer. There were disagreements about how to fund the union's requests. This led to changes on the school board, with new members being appointed.
Personal Life
Brandon Johnson lives in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago. He lives there with his wife, Stacie, and their three children.
In March 2023, it was reported that Johnson had some unpaid bills for water and traffic tickets. However, he paid all these debts in full by March 31, 2023.
Images for kids
-
Brandon Johnson's signature
