Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz

Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz was born in Glenview, Illinois. She earned a bachelor's in journalism from Indiana University in 1991, and her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in 1996. Gong-Gershowitz’s career experience includes working as a litigation associate with Winston & Strawn Limited Liability Partnership, and as director of immigration law practice at the Highland Park-Highwood Legal Aid Clinic. She is a co-founder of the Illinois Unaccompanied Children's Task Force.[1]

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

Top Priorities:

Protecting Women’s Rights. Extreme politicians are pushing an agenda that undermines women’s fundamental human rights. I will stand up to extremists and fight for equal pay, protect funding for Planned Parenthood and ensure access to critical medical services like birth control and cancer screenings.

Fighting for World-Class Schools. Illinois’ school funding system ranks last in the nation, denying children opportunities and burdening homeowners with high property taxes. I will fight for quality education at every level from our local elementary schools to our first-rate institutions of higher learning. I support universal pre-K to give every child in Illinois the start they need to succeed.

Keeping our Families Safe from Gun Violence. Tragic mass shootings like those in Las Vegas, Parkland and Sandy Hook were carried out using deadly, military-style assault rifles. I oppose the NRA and their extreme agenda and will fight for common sense gun laws to make our communities safer, including universal background checks, bans on military-style assault rifles and devices used to make semiautomatic weapons fully automatic.[3][4]

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

As the granddaughter of Chinese immigrants who faced deportation under the Chinese Exclusion Acts, I am outraged by the Trump Administration’s extreme agenda that is designed to demonize and dehumanize immigrant families who arrive at our border seeking protection. Trump’s “zero-tolerance policy” of separating children from their parents runs contrary to every American value that I have fought to defend my entire career as a human rights attorney. Since my early years as a litigator at Winston and Strawn, I have used the tools at my disposal to challenge the status quo. I have won cases to protect children from sex trafficking and worked to expand protections for unaccompanied immigrant children who are navigating the complex immigration system alone. As State Representative, I will be a strong voice for policies that support the diversity and welcoming spirit that make Illinois a state where families choose to live, work and thrive together.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[4]

[the profile publisher] also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz answered the following:

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Ideally, our democracy is best served by those that respect the co-equal branches of government and are each willing to work together towards solutions by finding common ground.[4]

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I believe it is more than beneficial to build relationships with other legislators; it’s essential.[4]

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Over the past year, I have met many extraordinary people while out knocking on doors throughout my community. Their personal stories have helped to shape my platform and continue to inspire me daily. One woman’s story, in particular, made such an impact that I have shared it with others along the way. This woman, who is now in her late 80’s, is a Holocaust survivor. She shared her memories of a childhood lived in fear, deprivation and loss. Against unimaginable odds, she survived. She immigrated to the United States after many years spent in post-war camps for displaced persons, raised a family and helped others fleeing persecution to settle here. Her story is memorialized at the Illinois Holocaust Memorial Museum in Skokie. One comment that I found especially poignant is when she said this, “you know, I crossed a lot of borders to come here.”[4]