AARP Illinois Statement on Chicago Mayoral Election 2023

The following statement is from AARP Illinois State Director Philippe Largent:

AARP Illinois congratulates Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson on hiswin and looks forward to working with him on his pledge to use a multigenerational approach to improving affordability, community safety and the availability of essential services for older adults living in Chicago.

In the weeks leading up to this election, AARP Chicago worked hard to make the concerns of those 50+ known to the mayoral candidates. We were grateful that Mayor-Elect Johnson took the time to meet with AARP Chicago for a one-on-one meeting, to attend two AARP-sponsored mayoral forums televised on WGN, and to answer questions from older adults both in a video voter guide and during a telephone town hall attended by thousands.

During these discussions, Johnson talked about his keen understanding of the struggles facing older adults and their families. He recognized the need for Chicago to have a stand-alone Department on Aging, and he pledged his commitment to making Chicago a city that allows people to age in place in the neighborhoods they grew up in and love.

He said he wanted to make certain resources and services are available to those 50+ and their families, and recognized that AARP Illinois could be a valuable partner in making this happen.

“Y’all are going to be working hard under my administration,” he said.

Mayor-elect Johnson: AARP Chicago is ready to dig into the work we have ahead, and we look forward to partnering with your new leadership team to implement policies and plans that benefit older adults and their families throughout the city