21st Ward candidates vow to bring resources, clean up neighborhoods in community

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Ronnie Mosley, a longtime community organizer, will face retired firefighter Cornell Dantzler for the 21st Ward seat in the April runoff election.

In the 21st Ward — encompassing Auburn Gresham and parts of Chatham, Roseland and Washington Heights — longtime alderperson Howard Brookins Jr. announced his retirement in September after nearly 20 years and endorsed Ronnie Mosley — who also won support from Pritzker, City Clerk Anna Valencia and Ald. Michelle Harris — to fill the Council seat.

Mosley, 31, has worked in community engagement since age 14 and received nearly 25% of the vote. He will face 63-year-old Dantzler, a retired firefighter, in the runoff.

Since Dec. 31, Mosley has received nearly $175,000 in donations, with large donations from labor unions including the Chicago Teachers Union and Pritzker.

Dantzler has gotten more than $50,000 in donations since the end of last year — the Chicago Firefighters Union contributed over $40,000, and Dantzler himself donated $13,000.

His priority for the ward is initially cleaning the neighborhoods of debilitated and neglected buildings, sidewalks and trash, Dantzler said.

“I’ll be making sure that jobs are … made known to the residents, because a lot of times in the 21st Ward … I still have found myself suffering from a lack of information being put out,” he said.

Dantzler also wants to help residents expunge their criminal records to get employed easier.

Mosley says his connections through community organizing and working in offices like Ald. Harris’ have given the preparation and knowledge to hit the ground running.

Partnering with churches and nonprofit organizations in the community will bring resources and economic opportunities to residents, Mosley said. For example, he says, community growers and fridges can help those experiencing food insecurity while businesses are being brought back into the ward.

“The No. 1 job of an alderman is to expedite those city services,” he said. “I firmly believe that we have everything we need in our own community to make sure that we are thriving more. It’s about the coordination and the leadership that brings that all together.”