Gay Man to Run Against Ald. Shiller
Gay Man to Run Against Ald. Shiller
by Amy Wooten
2006-09-27
Copyright by The Windy City Times
Openly gay James Cappleman announced his candidacy for 46th Ward alderman at a community rally across from Uptown’s Wilson Yard on Sept. 24.
About 50 residents gathered to hear Cappleman, a 53-year-old clinical social worker and community activist, announce that he will be running against 20-year incumbent Ald. Helen Shiller. Elections will be held Feb. 27.
“We are long overdue for a change in leadership,” Cappleman said.
The candidate chose to rally in front of the Wilson Yard—a vacant strip of commercial property since a 1996 fire—to exemplify the need for new leadership in the Uptown neighborhood.
“It marks broken promises to revitalize this community area, which is the heart of the 46th Ward,” Cappleman said.
If chosen as the next alderman, Cappleman promised to community members that he will make informed, forward-thinking decisions to develop and improve the area. In addition, he will hold frequent community forums in order to keep constituents informed and to get their input—something Cappleman says Shiller has failed to do.
“She has failed to listen to the community [ at ] every turn,” he said. “I pledge to keep you informed.”
Both Cappleman and his longtime partner, Richard Thale, are involved in the 46th Ward, where Cappleman has been a resident for seven years. Cappleman was president of the Uptown Chicago Commission until mid-2006, where Thale is currently vice-president. Cappleman is also a member and former president of Dignity/Chicago, and is a family advocate at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.
During his career, Cappleman has been involved in serving people living with HIV. He was also recently awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award for his activism.
The candidate also revealed his plans to bring neighborhood groups and city services together in order to help solve problems and address quality of life issues. “I want to make the ward work for you,” Cappleman said. “We all could come together to make Uptown cleaner and safer.”
“We have two choices,” Cappleman told the crowd. “We can stand here and wring our hands, or we can roll up our sleeves and say it is time for a change.”
Shiller has faced strong opposition is almost all of her re-election efforts, including several years ago against Vince Samar. The races are usually hard-fought and close, despite Shiller’s pro-gay record that includes two decades of fighting for increased AIDS funding and the city’s gay-rights laws. The controversial issues tend to be more about gentrification and the speed of development, not gay rights.
See jamesfor46ward.com.
by Amy Wooten
2006-09-27
Copyright by The Windy City Times
Openly gay James Cappleman announced his candidacy for 46th Ward alderman at a community rally across from Uptown’s Wilson Yard on Sept. 24.
About 50 residents gathered to hear Cappleman, a 53-year-old clinical social worker and community activist, announce that he will be running against 20-year incumbent Ald. Helen Shiller. Elections will be held Feb. 27.
“We are long overdue for a change in leadership,” Cappleman said.
The candidate chose to rally in front of the Wilson Yard—a vacant strip of commercial property since a 1996 fire—to exemplify the need for new leadership in the Uptown neighborhood.
“It marks broken promises to revitalize this community area, which is the heart of the 46th Ward,” Cappleman said.
If chosen as the next alderman, Cappleman promised to community members that he will make informed, forward-thinking decisions to develop and improve the area. In addition, he will hold frequent community forums in order to keep constituents informed and to get their input—something Cappleman says Shiller has failed to do.
“She has failed to listen to the community [ at ] every turn,” he said. “I pledge to keep you informed.”
Both Cappleman and his longtime partner, Richard Thale, are involved in the 46th Ward, where Cappleman has been a resident for seven years. Cappleman was president of the Uptown Chicago Commission until mid-2006, where Thale is currently vice-president. Cappleman is also a member and former president of Dignity/Chicago, and is a family advocate at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.
During his career, Cappleman has been involved in serving people living with HIV. He was also recently awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award for his activism.
The candidate also revealed his plans to bring neighborhood groups and city services together in order to help solve problems and address quality of life issues. “I want to make the ward work for you,” Cappleman said. “We all could come together to make Uptown cleaner and safer.”
“We have two choices,” Cappleman told the crowd. “We can stand here and wring our hands, or we can roll up our sleeves and say it is time for a change.”
Shiller has faced strong opposition is almost all of her re-election efforts, including several years ago against Vince Samar. The races are usually hard-fought and close, despite Shiller’s pro-gay record that includes two decades of fighting for increased AIDS funding and the city’s gay-rights laws. The controversial issues tend to be more about gentrification and the speed of development, not gay rights.
See jamesfor46ward.com.
posted by Carlos T Mock @ 4:18 PM
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