Commissioner Brandon Johnson
Join Commissioner Johnson as he shares his plans to improve education in Chicago
Wednesday, Feb 8, 2023
Doors Open at 11:30 am / Event Begins at 12:00 pm
Location
Maggiano's Banquets
111 W. Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60654
Map and directions
Speaker
Commissioner Brandon Johnson
As the son of a pastor and one of ten siblings, Brandon Johnson was raised on a foundation of hard work, faith and service.
Brandon began his career as a public school teacher, first at Jenner Academy in Cabrini-Green and then at Westinghouse College Prep on the West Side, where he experienced firsthand how school closures, unemployment and gun violence impacted his students and their communities. Brandon went on to become an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union, where he led multi-racial coalitions to defend neighborhood schools from privatization, reduce high-stakes standardized testing and expand access to state funding.
In 2018, Brandon was elected commissioner of the 1st District of Cook County, where he led the effort to pass the Just Housing Ordinance, which prohibited housing discrimination against formerly incarcerated people. As commissioner, he also collaborated with colleagues to eliminate the gang database, secure legal representation for immigrants facing deportation and advance recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brandon convened a statewide “Save Our Seniors'' response to the crisis in low-income nursing homes. In the wake of civil uprisings in the summer of 2020, he organized the Cook County Board to commit to the “Budget for Black Lives,” bringing new investments in health care, public transportation, internet access, and affordable housing.
Brandon and his wife Stacie live in the Austin community, where they are raising their children Owen, Ethan and Braedyn.
Upcoming events
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords understands what it’s like to face overwhelming barriers. She also understands what it takes to get past them. From her scrappy Arizona childhood, to her bridge-building politics, to her remarkable recovery from traumatic injuries, Gabby personifies courage. Today she leads Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization she co-founded. Giffords is a nonprofit organization that shifts culture, changes policies, and challenges injustice, inspiring Americans across the country to fight gun violence.
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024
Doors Open at 11:30 pm / Event Begins at 12:00 pm
Collaborating for Equitable Development in Chicago
featuring remarks from the Chicago Community President & CEO Andrea Sáenz
Panelists: Kendra Freeman (MPC), Kevin Goldsmith (JPMorgan Chase), Christen Wiggins (We Rise Together), Andraya Yousfi (By The Hand) / moderated by Brandis Freidman (WTTW, Chicago Tonight)
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024
Doors Open at 11:30 am / Event Begins at 12:00 pm
City Club of Chicago event tickets are non-refundable. Tickets are transferrable.
Our venues are wheelchair accessible. To request any other accessibility, please contact Amanda Agosti at aagosti@cityclub-chicago.org
