Civic and Political Work
“In [democracies] the voluntary association of the citizens might supply the individual exertions of the nobles, and the community would be alike protected from anarchy and from oppression.”
-Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America
I believe political theory consists of more than the study of abstract principles; to me, political theory is the reconstruction of past problem-spaces with the goal of better understanding the questions and answers that define our contemporary politics. My research is both informed by and inspires civic action and I press my students to use political theoretic inquiry as they enter careers in government, politics, law, non-profits, and diplomacy. Below is an abbreviated summary of the work that I have done outside of the university.
Forging Technical Policy Solutions
Widespread calls for public safety reform in 2020 produced an incredible opportunity in the Biden era Safer Communities Act. The City of Chicago received $100 million to improve public safety efforts, but problems with procurement threatened to obstruct funding for non-policing and evidence-based violence intervention programs. I joined the Ethics and Government Oversight Committee as a Senior Policy Analyst to help get dollars out the door for these critical programs.
Building Consensus
I am an active political volunteer who has fundraised for progressive and left candidates and organized communities for change. During the past ten years, I have knocked on more than 11,000 doors for progressive causes and candidates from city council to president. I firmly believe that door knocking is a fundamental democratic exercise, allowing participants to persuade and reason with their neighbors. I have also served as a grassroots fundraiser for local campaigns, working on teams that have raised nearly $75,000 for local candidates.
Fighting Food Insecurity
Since I was young, I have volunteered for food pantries in the greater Chicagoland area. I went from volunteer to leadership role when I was invited to serve on the Board of Directors for Care for Real, a non-profit that distributes clothing and food to the far northside neighborhoods of Chicago. During my tenure on the board, Care for Real undertook a $5 million capital campaign, establishing a permanent home for the organization.
Breaking Down the University’s Walls
My own campaign for local office provided a realization: community members wanted venues to engage scholars working on topics related to environmentalism, racial inequalities, and political development. I worked with the Berger Park Advisory Council in Edgewater, Chicago to host a yearlong public lecture series 2023-2024. Together, we hosted scholars speaking on an array of topics, including the ecology of empty lots, James Baldwin and the modern dilemmas of racial equality, and social media and public shaming. With declining trust in high education, I look forward to hosting more events that highlight the meaningful research that our institutions make possible.