La Shawn Ford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Shawn Ford
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Ford in 2023
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| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 8th district |
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| Assumed office January 10, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Calvin Giles |
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| Born | 1971/1972 (age 52–53) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Loyola University Chicago (BS) |
La Shawn K. Ford (born 1971 or 1972) is an American politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2007, he has served in the Illinois House of Representatives. He represents the 8th District. This district covers parts of Chicago's West Side and several nearby suburbs.
In 2019, Ford also ran to become the Mayor of Chicago.
Contents
Early Life and Education
La Shawn Ford was born in Chicago. He grew up in the Austin community. His family moved there when he was two years old. Ford was adopted by his grandmother when he was born.
He went to Lady Help of Christians Catholic Elementary School. He then graduated from Weber High School.
After high school, Ford first thought about becoming a priest. He attended the Niles College Seminary at Loyola University in Chicago. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Loyola. He also studied political science. He played basketball while at Loyola. He also earned a degree from University of Illinois at Chicago.
Career Before Politics
Ford started his career as a history teacher. He also coached basketball for Chicago Public Schools. Later, he became a licensed real estate broker in Illinois. In 2001, he started his own company, Ford Desired Real Estate.
He has been involved in many community groups. These include the Chicago and National Association of Realtors. He also served on the board of the Austin YMCA and Circle Family Care. He was a founding organizer of the Zawadi Youth Group. He also helped with his church's parish council.
Before being elected, Ford worked as a Democratic precinct captain. This meant he helped organize voters in his neighborhood.
Legislative Career
Ford was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2007. He won the election with a large number of votes.
Focus on Social Justice
Representative Ford works hard for the people he represents. He cares a lot about social justice. This means he wants fairness for everyone. He works to fix problems in jobs, education, and healthcare. He also tries to create more chances for people who have been in trouble with the law. He supports small businesses and helps people find affordable homes. He also works to protect veterans and the environment.
La Shawn Ford is a leader in social justice and civil rights. He believes in keeping communities strong. He helps people who have been in prison get back into society. He also works to protect the right to vote. He created a special group to help with economic problems in Black communities. This group, called the Distressed Counties and Communities Task Force, helps people who receive state services. It is a model for fighting poverty.
Committee Work
Throughout his time in office, Ford has led several important committees. These include committees for Higher Education, Financial Institutions, and Restorative Justice.
Currently, he is part of these committees:
- Appropriations Committee on Elementary & Secondary Education (which deals with school funding)
- Appropriations Committee on Human Services (which deals with social services)
- Insurance: Property & Casualty
- Tourism, Hospitality & Craft Industries
- Veterans' Affairs
He is also part of the Medicaid Managed Care Oversight Task Force. This group watches how the state manages healthcare for people with disabilities and the elderly. He is also on the Violence Prevention Task Force. This group works to prevent violence by sharing information about jobs and opportunities.
Views on Education
In 2020, Ford suggested that history classes in Illinois schools should change. He believed that current history lessons did not include enough about women, Black people, Jewish people, and LGBTQ+ communities. He thought that until better history lessons were created, schools should focus more on civics. Civics teaches students about how our government works and how they can be involved.
Supporting Fathers and Education
Ford strongly believes in responsible parenting. He helped grow the Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood. This group helps fathers be more involved and responsible. He also works to help people in communities get more access to money and banks. He always encourages students in his district to value education.
2019 Mayoral Campaign
In 2019, La Shawn Ford ran for mayor of Chicago. He announced his plan in October 2018. Many people were running for mayor that year.
Another candidate tried to remove Ford from the ballot. But the Chicago Board of Elections decided that Ford could stay.
In polls, Ford usually received about 1% of the support. In the election, he finished eleventh out of fourteen candidates. He received 5,606 votes.
Personal Life
La Shawn Ford has a daughter.
Images for kids
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Ford in 2023
