Know Your Alderman

It is a good idea to know the aldermen who represent your community.

Four Chicago Aldermen visit South-East Asia Center.

In Chicago, each individual building address is located within one of 50 “wards” and each “ward” is represented in the City Council by an Alderman (man or woman).

The job of the Alderman is to propose laws and regulations that help the city run smoothly. They also work to create a budget and help determine how tax money is distributed.

South-East Asia Center has several buildings which are all in the 60640 zip code, but our building at 5120 N. Broadway is in the 47th Ward, while the buildings on Foster and Ainslie are both in the 48th Ward.

We also have children’s, senior, and social service programs that serve the larger community of people who live and work outside of our wards and outside our zip code.

Many of the people we serve are in the 47th and 48th Wards but many also come from the 46th Ward (immediately to the South), the 40th Ward to the West and even the 49th Ward on the North boundary of the city.

These Wards all have zigzag boundaries which together basically include the Uptown, Andersonville, Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods.

So the idea of the “community” that we serve is very complex.

Take look at the Ward Map to see the ward where you live. Is it the same as where you work? Do your children go to school in the same ward? Do you get services in another ward?

Our local election in 2019 resulted in several new aldermen being elected while many remained the same.

At our recent Father’s Day Luncheon, South-East Asia Center had a chance to introduce our Golden Diners to two new Aldermen, Andre Vasquez of the 40th Ward and Matt Martin, 47th Ward. Also in attendance were James Cappleman, 46th Ward, and Harry Osterman 48th Ward.

After introductions, the Aldermen took a tour of The Center’s Preschool Program.

Photos and video by Reno Lovison