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Growing up as a kid in Chicago, I saw my fair share of Chicago politics. My mom would have WVON playing in the background while she read Ebony Magazine. I overheard Black political commentators, such as Lu Palmer, discuss the race of Mayor Harold Washington. Lu was a political organizer, radio show host and ardent supporter of Harold Washington, who became Chicago's first Black mayor.

My mother was a civil rights activist who sometimes removed me from school to protest against companies doing business with South African government, and to fight for fair contracting. It's safe to say that as a kid, I sat in the front row of civil rights activism in Chicago.

I serve as Chairwoman of Flourish PAC, which is dedicated to helping Black women get elected on every level of government and train future campaign managers and staffers for hire via the Illinois Black Campaign Academy.

I want to highlight Black women who lend tirelessly their time, space and money to support candidates, issues and causes. They are the campaign strategists, the politicos, the elected leaders as well as the movement builders who work both behind and in front of the scenes in Illinois politics. I set out to comb every corner of the state to find unsung Black female political supporters.

For far too long, she has provided civic leadership, votes, time commitment and financial resources to advance causes, issues and candidates throughout Illinois. It's time we value her worth.

Click here to access the online nomination form, which is available until January 31, 2020. The final list of Black woman to watch in Illinois politics will be revealed in February 2020.

Mae C. Whiteside, PE

Writing since May 2018 · 1 story contributed