Chicago City Council Latino Caucus calls on the Illinois Supreme Court to Appoint Latino Judge to Upcoming Appellate Court Vacancy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2022

CHICAGO, IL - The Chicago Latino Caucus is disappointed with this week’s announcement that the Supreme Court has failed to nominate what would have been the first Latino to serve on our state’s highest court and an opportunity to bring parity to the Appellate Court. While we congratulate Justice Cunningham, Judge Tailor, and Justice Theis on their recent appointments to Justice and Chief Justice, we are troubled by the Court’s failure to break the glass ceiling for our community by appointing a qualified Latino jurist to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Of the seven justices on the Court, none are Latino. This is despite the 18% growing Latino population in our state and the 26% in District 1 where this recent vacancy occurred. At the same time, there is only one Latino Appellate Court Justice serving in the Illinois Court System.

 We call on the Court to appoint a Latino to the upcoming vacancy resulting in Justice Cunningham’s ascension to the Supreme Court. It is imperative that our judiciary is reflective of the community it serves.

The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus was created to fight for the well-being and betterment of all Latino residents of Chicago. The Caucus includes 13 members from across the city. They represent wards as diverse as Chicago itself. In addition to Chairman Gilbert Villegas (36) and Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33), the Caucus membership includes: Ald. Daniel LaSpata (1), Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10), Ald. George Cardenas (12), Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22), Ald. Silvana Tabares (23), Ald. Bryon Sigcho-Lopez (25), Ald. Robert Maldonado (26), Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30), Ald. Felix Cardona (31), Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), and Ald. Andre Vasquez (40). Chicago’s Clerk Anna Valencia is an ex-officio member of the Latino Caucus.