Yasmeen Bankole

Yasmeen Bankole earned a high school diploma from Lake Park High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2015 and a graduate degree from the University of Denver in 2018. Her career experience includes working as a federal employee.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lifelong public servant, with deep roots in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. The child of a librarian, I worked at the Schaumburg Township District Library for over a decade. Serving Schaumburg area residents was my first foray into public service.

Most recently, I served as Regional Director to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin for nearly 6 years where I oversaw the Senator’s affairs and congressional outreach throughout Northern IL. Previously, I also served as a congressional aide in the Office of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.

I am currently an elected Trustee in the Village of Hanover Park. In 2021, upon becoming elected, I became the only Nigerian-American elected official in the state of Illinois and, at 27-years-old, the youngest elected trustee in the history of my village.

Among my key accomplishments are the creation of the Water Bill Fee discount program, which has created utility bill savings for seniors and working families with limited incomes, and working with community stakeholders and organized labor to pass a Responsible Bidder Ordinance which ensures that taxpayer funds used for publicly funded projects only go to qualified contractors, protect union workers' rights and benefits, and keep them safe on the job.

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?

Lowering costs and making life more affordable: Illinoisans are working harder than ever to pay the bills, keep a roof over their head, and support their kids, and it is getting harder. I’ll fight to:

Strengthen our essential national social programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Put more money in the pockets of middle class families by fighting to repeal the billionaire tax giveaways and lower taxes for working Illinoisans.

Secure good-paying union jobs and protections and invest in apprenticeships and job training programs that put more money back in the pockets of working families.

Advocate for the reversal of Trump tariffs, which make working families pay more, hurt small businesses, and cause economic upheaval.Fighting for workers and organized labor: As an elected Trustee in the Village of Hanover Park, I supported pro-worker policies that ensure taxpayer funds used for publicly funded projects only go to qualified contractors, protect union workers' rights and benefits, and keep them safe on the job. In my role as a Regional Director for Senator Durbin, I worked hard to support legislation that protected union workers’ benefits and promoted safer working conditions.

In Congress, I will co-sponsor the PRO Act, which would strengthen workers' rights to organize and bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. We must also raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour and eliminate payroll loopholes like the tipped minimum wage.Protecting Immigrants: As the daughter of immigrants, the fight for a fair and just immigration system is personal to me. It allowed so many people, like my parents, the chance at a life filled with possibility. After I won my election to the Hanover Park board in 2021, I was proud to introduce and pass a Welcoming City ordinance that reaffirms our commitment to the Illinois Trust Act.

The current administration has weaponized our immigration system, circumventing due process and the rule of law to deport innocent people regardless of their legal status. In Congress, I will fight for a pathway to citizenship for all immigrants, work to streamline the immigration process to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, and protect birthright citizenship.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a Village Trustee in Hanover Park, I have focused on working to meet the needs and interests of my residents.

Among my many areas of public policy interest are some of my proudest accomplishments as Trustee: passing the Water Bill Fee discount program, which has created utility bill savings for seniors and individuals with limited incomes; and working with the Hanover Park Police Department to create a village-wide Doorbell Camera Safety Initiative which provides doorbell cameras to residents free-of-charge.

I also worked with community stakeholders and organized labor to pass a Responsible Bidder Ordinance and spearheaded the passing of a Welcoming Ordinance in Hanover Park to protect our immigrant communities.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

US Senator Dick Durbin

Former Congressman Bobby Rush

Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia

State Rep Anna Moeller

State Rep Marti Deuter

State Rep Michelle Mussman

Former State Senator Diane Pappas

DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy

Congressional Black Caucus PAC

College Democrats of America

Associated Firefighters of Illinois

IBEW Local 701

National Association of Letter Carriers Branches 11, 2076, and 825

And many others, totaling over 50 elected officials and groups