Kambium Buckner

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Kambium Buckner earned a high school diploma from Morgan Park High School, obtained a B.A. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. As a college student, Buckner interned for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). He previously worked as executive director of World Sport Chicago and as manager of neighborhood and government relations for the Chicago Cubs.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Kam Buckner is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 26th district. The district, located entirely in the city of Chicago, includes Bronzeville, Downtown, Gold Coast, Hyde Park, River North, South Shore, and Woodlawn. It includes many important Chicago landmarks, including Navy Pier, Soldier Field, the Museum Campus, the Magnificent Mile, and the Chicago home of Barack and Michelle Obama.

Buckner is the Chair of the Illinois House Legislative Black Caucus and Co-Democratic Whip.

He is a native Chicagoan who is the son of a law enforcement officer and a Chicago Public School teacher. He holds a BA from the University of Illinois, where he was also a scholarship football player and a JD from Depaul University College of Law.

He spent a number of years on the staff of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Mayor Mitch Landrieu of New Orleans. He also led Government Affairs for Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs and ran the Youth Based Sports Development Organization World Sport Chicago. He formerly taught Public Policy at the University of Chicago. and served on the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University from 2016 through 2018.

He is married to the former Bernardette Salgado and they have one son, Kastillo.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

FROM CHICAGO. FOR CHICAGO. I am running for Mayor because we cannot wait a day longer for a safe and just Chicago for all of us. Now is the time to invest in Chicago’s schools and their future, to give our children more pathways to success. I grew up on Chicago’s South Side. My dad was a law enforcement officer and my mom was a public school teacher. They were both role models for children in our neighborhood. My parents taught me the values of safety, justice, and education. They taught me the highest calling is serving others: keeping your community safe and enriching your community’s knowledge. We need a Mayor who can bring people together to get things done. I will be that mayor for Chicago.At the heart of public safety is access to safe, reliable public transportation. The current administration has not prioritized investing in infrastructure, making our streets safer, or maintaining CTA service levels, and the community has suffered. Ghost buses run rampant, security is lacking, schedules are inconsistent; these issues lead to a myriad of other problems. Over 25% of Chicago households don’t have cars, and it’s time we invest in the public transit and road infrastructure we need to support our city. As State Representative, I lead the charge to get 20 percent of the state’s motor fuel tax increase dedicated to transit, 90 percent of which comes to Chicago. No one has successfully gotten that much funding for transit in yeEnvironmental justice and sustainability is an existential issue that needs a dedicated plan, innovative thinking, and bold solutions to tackle. That commitment needs to begin in the Mayor’s office with real leadership, and extend to City Council and Departments across the city to create a solution that is comprehensive, thorough, and effective. As Mayor, I am committed to bringing together the team and the solutions Chicago needs to begin tackling climate change head-on. I have a proven track record fighting for the kinds of solutions that can make a difference on climate change. I founded the Lake Shore Caucus to address erosion issues on Lake Michigan and create solutions across our state. I was a co-sponsor on the Climate and Equitabl

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public Safety, Education, Transportation, Economic Development and Housing.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Starting at 3 years old I woke up at 4:30 am every weekday morning with my father to help him with his part-time job, delivering the early edition of the Chicago Sunt-Times on the Southside of Chicago. I continued working with him until I was about 9 years old when he started a new part-time job as a gas station attendant. I also accompanied him to that job and would work the morning hours with him before going to school.

A mayor is a leader in his or her city. What does that mean to you?

It means that a Mayor's job is to find a way to YES instead of getting stuck at NO. A Mayor's job is to bring people together and find solutions. A Mayor's job is in many ways operational, aspirational and inspirational. A Mayor should be able to deal with the past and the present while building the future.

Mayors have many responsibilities, which vary from city to city. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your city?

Public Safety. But Public Safety isn't just law enforcement. Public Safety is better schools, safer streets and more opportunities.

If the mayor in your city is a member of the city council and there's a city manager appointed to handle the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe should be the mayor's top priority in office?

Chicago is the greatest city in America… and it’s going through a horrifying pandemic of violence.

Crime, and homicides in particular, is the worst it’s been since 1996. In 2021 a staggering 797

people were murdered, and shootings have gone up 53% since 2018. Carjackings–happening in

neighborhoods across the city–have increased over 200% from 2019.

I’m running for Mayor to make Chicago safe. We need a plan, and we need a Mayor who can

collaborate to get it done. Pulling up drawbridges is not the answer. We need to build bridges to all

77 of Chicago’s neighborhoods.

In the pages that follow, you’ll read my plan to bring a balanced approach to safety and justice

that tackles crime now, but also addresses the root causes of crime.

I’m the son of a law enforcement officer and a teacher. I’ve seen firsthand what happens when

folks like my parents serve as protectors and role models for our community. I learned from both

of them that I wanted to help my community and fight for both justice and safety.

As a Black kid from the South Side, I also know what it’s like to lay face down on a wet pavement,

handcuffed, because a police officer said I “fit a description.” I also know what it feels like to lose

family members to gun violence in this city and to have dedicated detectives working day and

night to bring our family justice. We must do a better job of making our citizens feel seen, heard

and safe.

I’ve been fighting for my neighbors in Springfield for the past four years. I’ve been a leader in

passing reforms to keep untraceable ‘ghost guns’ off our streets and enhance police training, all

while working together to improve the criminal justice system. I know what it takes to do this work

and get these changes across the finish line.

Chicago will be the national gold standard for both constitutional, community-based policing

and robust community investment. My plan will strengthen the existing public safety and justice

structures in place, foster c

If the mayor in your city is not a member of the city council and oversees the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor and city council?

There has to be syncopation and symbiosis. The CIty Council does not work for the Mayor, they work with the Mayor.

What do you love most about your city?

Her people. Chicagoans are the greatest people are the greatest on this planet. We are resilient, strong, kind, courageous, and principled.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the state government?

City and State government have to work hand in glove. When Springfield and Chicago have symbiosis, the people of Chicago win. I am the only candidate in this race who can guarantee that type of relationship on day one.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the federal government?

City and Federal government have to work hand in glove. When Washington and Chicago have symbiosis, the people of Chicago win. I am the only candidate in this race who can guarantee that type of relationship on day one.

Kambium Buckner did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Kambium Buckner did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.