Suzanne Elder
Encyclopedia
Suzanne Elder is a community activist in the Uptown
neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois who has worked on school, health care, and community issues and was involved in an unusual challenge to Chicago Democratic Machine politics.
an influential study on the impact of abortion legislation on access to abortion. A community organizer who once worked with the Organization of the North East ("O.N.E."), Elder organized and mobilized a coalition
of 1,400 families and authored The Care of Students with Diabetes Act, which passed the Illinois House, and is currently pending in the Illinois Senate. As a businesswoman, Elder advised the Regional Transportation Authority on marketing and communications strategies to increase use of mass transit in the Chicago area.
, an organization initially formed by former Howard Dean
supporters which encourages grassroots
Democrats to run for local, state, and federal office. In November, 2007 she became a candidate for the Illinois State Senate as a Democrat for the vacated seat of Carol Ronen
. Elder's campaign was considered unusual because of Illinois' infamous reputation for political corruption; Elder directly confronted Machine politics and corruption by challenging the widespread practice of pay-to-play politics in Illinois, the abuse of tax increment financing
(TIF) districts, and urging reform of Illinois tax structure. The pro-choice
and pro-gay marriage stances of Elder also caused the race to attract substantial attention in the LGBT
community; this is significant because the district takes in Andersonville, Rogers Park, Buena Park, and Edgewater
, which include the highest concentration of gays in Illinois.
Elder was endorsed by the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO)
, the Northside DFA, National Organization for Women
PAC, Americans for Democratic Action
, the Illinois Coalition for Honest Government, and the Greater Chicagoland Caucus started by Christine Cegelis
, but had little support from any current or past elected officials. Elder lost the Feb. 5, 2008 primary to Heather Steans
, a philanthropist, fundraiser, and political contributor who had the support of most Democratic politicians and both daily Chicago newspapers, as well as a much more well-funded campaign. Despite being outspent 20:1, Elder nonetheless took nearly 40 percent of the vote.
Following her defeat, Elder resumed her work as a health care advocate and consultant and became a contributing writer for numerous publications including, locally, the Chicago Journal, which had purchased the Skyline, Booster, and News-Star local newspapers from the Lerner chain,See, e.g., S. Elder, A room of one's own, Chicago Journal, May 7, 2008 and was elected to the state board of IVI-IPO.IVI-IPO State Board, accessed Aug. 30, 2008
Elder later partnered with her formal rival to pass anti-discrimination legislation. Working together, Sen. Steans and Elder faced formidable opposition from the state’s teachers’ unions http://www.ift-aft.org/News/DailyNews/10-12-21/Proceed_with_Caution_Under_New_Diabetes_Law.aspx and overrode an amendatory veto from Governor Quinn to enact legislation that protects the health and civil rights of students with diabetes and other disabilities (The Care of Students with Diabetes Act, P.A. 96-1485).http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-1485
Elder continues to develop state-based health policy solutions, contributing to a number of committees, including the Governor’s task force on student health where she has developed recommendations to decrease regulatory obstacles to implementing evidence-based health care practice and ensure students receive life-saving medication in the event of an emergency.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-12-20/news/ct-met-allergic-death-cps-1221-20101220_1_food-allergy-epipens-allergic-reaction
Uptown, Chicago
Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan...
neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois who has worked on school, health care, and community issues and was involved in an unusual challenge to Chicago Democratic Machine politics.
Education and activism
Born Suzanne Lagershausen, she received a Master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago where she co-authored with Prof. Don Coursey, Dean of the Harris School of Public Policy StudiesHarris School of Public Policy Studies
The Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies is the public policy school of the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is one of the top policy schools in the United States. It is located on the University's main campus in Hyde Park...
an influential study on the impact of abortion legislation on access to abortion. A community organizer who once worked with the Organization of the North East ("O.N.E."), Elder organized and mobilized a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
of 1,400 families and authored The Care of Students with Diabetes Act, which passed the Illinois House, and is currently pending in the Illinois Senate. As a businesswoman, Elder advised the Regional Transportation Authority on marketing and communications strategies to increase use of mass transit in the Chicago area.
Political candidate
Elder is a member of the Northside Chicago chapter of Democracy for AmericaDemocracy for America
Democracy for America is a progressive, people-powered political action committee, headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. Founded by former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean in 2004, DFA leads public awareness campaigns on a variety of public policy issues, trains activists,...
, an organization initially formed by former Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
supporters which encourages grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
Democrats to run for local, state, and federal office. In November, 2007 she became a candidate for the Illinois State Senate as a Democrat for the vacated seat of Carol Ronen
Carol Ronen
Carol Ronen was a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th District from 2000 to 2008.- Early life :Ronen graduated from Bradley University with a degree in Political Science...
. Elder's campaign was considered unusual because of Illinois' infamous reputation for political corruption; Elder directly confronted Machine politics and corruption by challenging the widespread practice of pay-to-play politics in Illinois, the abuse of tax increment financing
Tax increment financing
Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, is a public financing method which has been used as a subsidy for redevelopment and community improvement projects in many countries including the United States for more than 50 years...
(TIF) districts, and urging reform of Illinois tax structure. The pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
and pro-gay marriage stances of Elder also caused the race to attract substantial attention in the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community; this is significant because the district takes in Andersonville, Rogers Park, Buena Park, and Edgewater
Edgewater, Chicago
Edgewater is a lakefront community area in the North Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois seven miles north of the Loop. As one of Chicago’s 77 official community areas, Edgewater is bounded by Foster Avenue on the south, Devon Avenue on the north, Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan...
, which include the highest concentration of gays in Illinois.
Elder was endorsed by the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO)
Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization
The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization is an independent, not-for-profit, Illinois political organization. Often referred to by its acronym, IVI-IPO, has roots dating to 1944, when the Independent Voters of Illinois was founded. In 1979 the IVI merged with the...
, the Northside DFA, National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
PAC, Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.-History:...
, the Illinois Coalition for Honest Government, and the Greater Chicagoland Caucus started by Christine Cegelis
Christine Cegelis
Christine Cegelis is the acting Assistant Director of Central Management Services for the State of Illinois and was the 2004 Democratic candidate for the 6th Congressional district of Illinois. She ran in the Democratic primary for the same seat in 2006 and lost to former Army Major Tammy Duckworth...
, but had little support from any current or past elected officials. Elder lost the Feb. 5, 2008 primary to Heather Steans
Heather Steans
Heather Steans is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th district. She was appointed after winning a controversial special primary election that followed the mid-term resignation of her predecessor, Senator Carol Ronen...
, a philanthropist, fundraiser, and political contributor who had the support of most Democratic politicians and both daily Chicago newspapers, as well as a much more well-funded campaign. Despite being outspent 20:1, Elder nonetheless took nearly 40 percent of the vote.
Following her defeat, Elder resumed her work as a health care advocate and consultant and became a contributing writer for numerous publications including, locally, the Chicago Journal, which had purchased the Skyline, Booster, and News-Star local newspapers from the Lerner chain,See, e.g., S. Elder, A room of one's own, Chicago Journal, May 7, 2008 and was elected to the state board of IVI-IPO.IVI-IPO State Board, accessed Aug. 30, 2008
Elder later partnered with her formal rival to pass anti-discrimination legislation. Working together, Sen. Steans and Elder faced formidable opposition from the state’s teachers’ unions http://www.ift-aft.org/News/DailyNews/10-12-21/Proceed_with_Caution_Under_New_Diabetes_Law.aspx and overrode an amendatory veto from Governor Quinn to enact legislation that protects the health and civil rights of students with diabetes and other disabilities (The Care of Students with Diabetes Act, P.A. 96-1485).http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-1485
Elder continues to develop state-based health policy solutions, contributing to a number of committees, including the Governor’s task force on student health where she has developed recommendations to decrease regulatory obstacles to implementing evidence-based health care practice and ensure students receive life-saving medication in the event of an emergency.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-12-20/news/ct-met-allergic-death-cps-1221-20101220_1_food-allergy-epipens-allergic-reaction