Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered a farewell address on Monday, touting progress and reflecting on challenges during her four-year tenure.
Lightfoot gave remarks during a program hosted in her honor at the non-profit organization BUILD in the city's Austin neighborhood, kicking off her final week in office. An attorney and former federal prosecutor, Lightfoot had never held public office before being elected in 2019. She made history, defeating Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, to become the first Black, openly gay mayor of Chicago.
"The mandate that I was given four years ago was to break up the status quo that failed our residents for far too long and chart a new path, a new compact between the government and the governed, and that's what we did," the mayor said.
Her tenure was shaped by several crises, including clashes with unions representing police officers and teachers, an increase in violent crime and most notably the COVID-19 pandemic.
"You see, when you literally look death in the eye, as I had to, and realize that the decisions that you make in the midst of a crisis will impact who lives, who dies, what businesses survive, which fail and who has income and who doesn't, all of which were served up on my plate over and over again," she explained.
Those challenges, Lightfoot said, pushed her closer to her faith and made her not only a better leader, but hopefully a better person, too. The obstacles encountered during her tenure, the mayor stated, didn't arise overnight, and solutions won't come overnight, either.
Looking back, Lightfoot said there is a lot to celebrate, including her administration's efforts to "plant seeds of equity" and commitment to put residents first, including those on the South and West Sides.
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As her speech neared an end, Lightfoot thanked everyone who joined her, along with Chicago's First Lady Amy Eshleman and their daughter, Vivian, on this "most extraordinary" journey and urged others to "carry the baton forward."
"To all of you, do continue serving our city and working toward equity, inclusion, safety fairness and vibrancy in every neighborhood," she said. "I will be here as private citizen Lightfoot, continually rooting for you and every resident of our city."
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