The son of Eugene Sawyer, the former alderman and mayor who took over after the death of Harold Washington, Roderick Sawyer has represented the 6th WWRD on the Chicago City Council since 2011. Before becoming an alderman, Sawyer ran his own law firm that focused primarily on licensing matters. . While largely moderate in his first two terms, he was a member of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus, which opposed some of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s policies. Although Sawyer and Mayor Lori Lightfoot made her choice to head the council’s health and human relations committee, they have disagreed over efforts to create a civilian body overseen by the Chicago Police Department — an initiative that Sawyer led — and a commission to study how giving descendants of enslaved African Americans reparations.
Age: 59
Born: Chicago
in person: Married to wife Cheryll Aikens; two children, Sydni Celeste and Roderick T. Jr.
Education: Bachelors in Finance, DePaul University, JD of IIT-Chicago Kent
Neighborhood: Greater Grand Intersection
Current job: 6th alderman
Government Experience: Alderman, Chicago City Council (2011–present)
Political Experience: Democratic Committee Member (2012–present), Black Caucus City Council President (2015–2019), LSC President of McDade Classical School (2000–2010)
Campaign slogan: “Reset Chicago”
Campaign website: sawyer4chicago.com
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