Monet S. Wilson makes history in Calumet City

Having no luck finding a job in Calumet City is frustrating. 

“It is a hopeless feeling to live in a city where you cannot find employment,” 2nd Ward Alderwoman-elect Monet S. Wilson told South Cook News. “For 21 years as a resident, I have watched as my neighbors faced losing their homes to high taxes and unemployment.”

The newly-elected Alderwoman plans to “work with partnering agencies” and her fellow council members “to present incentives that will attract businesses that value a strong workforce and will boost tax income” for the community.

“My plans for Calumet City begin with the economic development of the 2nd Ward,” Wilson said.

During her campaign, she expressed that her “commitment to the residents of the 2nd Ward will be unwavering.”

Apart from focusing on the city’s economic development, Wilson campaigned on working on quality services such as repairing sidewalks, services for seniors and the disabled, finding water backup and sewer issues solutions, routinely grading alleys and sidewalk repairs. She also stressed public safety, including advocating for state-of-the-art resources for the police and fire departments and working with colleagues on identifying and securing infrastructure grants.

When asked how she feels to have won the seat, she said she is “honored and humbled to be the first African-American woman in the history of the city of Calumet City to be elected Alderwoman of any ward, including my 2nd Ward. I am proud to be of service to the community and excited to work towards a healthy future of economic development and inclusion.”

Wilson said that she ran because she wanted to be the voice of the 2nd Ward. 

“For years we have lived under the cloak of failed communication with little transparency,” she said. “I ran to show our community that our voices matter.”

Wilson’s background, which involves vast interactions with the community, will equip her in achieving her plans for Calumet.

Before running for office, she previously worked at the Illinois Department of Corrections, where she became the first African-American woman elected as vice president of the AFSCME Union Local 1753 for the Joliet Treatment Center.

She also worked at the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice providing “guidance, discipline, and instruction to incarcerated youth throughout the State of Illinois,” according to her campaign website.

Notably, Wilson also served for 13 years as the Director of Program Development for the Tomorrows Youth Foundation, Inc (TYF). TYF is a Calumet nonprofit offering various resources including academic, athletic and community outreach programs for youth and families, the largest of which is the Calumet City Chargers Youth Football and Cheer Program.

“We don’t just live here. We are invested in the people of this town! I want people to know that as their Alderwoman I will work to bring about change that will not be easy but is very necessary,” Wilson said.

Being involved with different organizations sharpened her knowledge and skills in engaging with people. But living in Calumet with her family for many years has prepared her to serve as an Alderwoman.

“21 years ago, I married the love of my life, Courtland Wilson," she said. "We married and soon after made Calumet City our home, where we are raising our two boys, C.J. and Chase.”

Wilson ran against Incumbent Alderwoman Mary Beth Swibes and Yvette "Tekie" Pierce-Williams. She expressed her gratitude for being chosen to be 2nd Ward’s Alderwoman.

“Thank you to the people of the 2nd Ward for overwhelmingly selecting me as their voice for our ward," she said. "I want to encourage my neighbors and residents to become active in our ward and community so we can continue to push the community forward. Our voice! Our ward!”