Amara Enyia: Chicago's New Hope or Just a Dream?

(NEWS WRITING)

(FEB 2019)

In a mayoral race filled with corruption, controversy and big name politicians it may be expected that lesser known candidates fall off the radar, but one thing is for certain: the passion and dedication of Amara Enyia’s supporters make her a force to be reckoned with.

“Amara is brilliant with a capital b.” said Pamela Johnson, a 67-year-old resident of Chicago’s South Loop.

Johnson was one of over 100 people gathered at Indivisible Chicago’s question and answer session featuring Amara Enyia and Lori Lightfoot at the Second Presbyterian Church on Feb 13.

Indivisible Chicago is an organization that values progressive principles to better the city, and aimed to have this event so people could learn about their potential future leaders.

Johnson said that what makes Amara so good for the city is the fact that her ideas unique, exclaiming that she even had to go google a few of Amara’s revenue generating policies because she had never heard anything like them before.

Enyia is known amongst her supporters for her thoughtful ideas, particularly creating a public bank for Chicago, using money collected from traffic and red light tickets to improve the CTA and investing in neighborhoods to increase the quality of life, in turn, decreasing crime.

“Violence is the manifestation of all of our public policy failures,” said Enyia, explaining that she aims to tackle systemic issues with the education system, housing and discrimination to get to the root of Chicago’s violence issue.

Johnson said she was excited because Amara could be a breath of fresh air for the city, claiming “If I didn’t think Amara could win, I wouldn’t be here.”

Johnson wasn’t the only one impressed with Enyia’s ideas.

Chicago natives Chance The Rapper and Kanye West both showed their support for Enyia’s progressive policies in the beginning of her campaign, donating $400,000 and $75,000 respectably.

Chance The Rapper’s contribution marked the largest donation to any candidate in the race at the time, giving Enyia more attention from outsiders and more of a presence amongst the frontrunners such as Toni Preckwinkle, Bill Daley and Susana Mendoza.

What sets Enyia apart from the so called leaders of the race, Masha Kostic, a 21 year old nursing student at Roosevelt University, believes, is her lack of involvement in the corruption that is plaguing other candidates.

Kostic specifically pointed towards candidates such as Mendoza, Chico, Daley and Preckwinkle’s relations with Alderman Ed Burke, who attempted extortion and committed other crimes.

These candidates had close relations with Burke; Preckwinkle even hosted a fundraiser in his home and helped his son secure a job with Homeland Security.

Although Mendoza and Preckwinkle have since donated what Burke contributed to their campaigns, their names are still plagued with their association with the alderman because of the corruption and dirty politics he now so famously represents.

“Amara isn’t involved in anything like that. She’s not tangled up in the mess that is Chicago politics,” said Kostic.

Johnson said Chicago needs Amara because the city needs someone who isn’t already part of the systemic corruption that has bogged it down for generations.

Enyia’s supporters are clearly proud of her lack of political corruption, but that is not to say she hasn’t been dealing with controversies of her own.

She lead a seemingly clean campaign until Feb. 4, when the Chicago Tribune released their investigation on her finances.

The Tribune found that Enyia underpaid taxes for years, notably did not include $21,000 in her 2017 tax returns and was sued due to issues with her rent and student loans.

Enyia has also come under scrutiny for allegedly not paying her ex campaign spokeswoman, as well as for fluffing her status as an Ironclad athlete, all to which Enyia responded that people are picking at tiny issues about her personally because they cannot find any actual dirt on her campaign.

Her supporters agreed.

“People bring up the taxes because they just want something to bring her down,” said Makafui Searcy, 19, resident of the south side of Chicago.

“There’s a big difference in personal finances because that is all on her, as opposed to the city’s finances that will be overseen by dozens of specifically picked people.” he said.

Johnson agreed, saying “Honestly, I still have student loans I’m paying off. Amara’s problems are problems I’ve dealt with. It makes me feel like she is more relatable and actually understands what the people of Chicago are going through.”

Enyia urged her supporters to vote, saying that Chicago has the opportunity to take on new leadership that has not been saddled with the baggage of the past, and although many don’t see her as a frontrunner in the race, her supporters are confident in her abilities.

Johnson explained that she has no fear about supporting Enyia just because she is considered an underdog.

Pointing to the church pews filled with people listening to Enyia speak, Johnson said “Look at Barack Obama. Nobody thought people would vote for him. Look at Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. They weren’t people everyone expected to achieve their positions, but they prove that it can be done if they have the right support. I think Amara has that.”