The RB Landmark sent questionnaires to each person running for public office in 2025. The Landmark’s questions are in bold and the candidate’s responses are below.
Political experience
None. Though I have worked/volunteered for various organizations and associations and I am currently an executive board member for the Chicago Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Community experience
My wife and I moved our family to Brookfield in 2015 when our two children were toddlers. We bought a home in the Hollywood community of Brookfield and have been there since. It was important to us to find a home in the community that we would raise them up in for their whole lives because we wanted them to feel part of a community and to feel known, seen and welcomed in that community. And we feel Brookfield has provided that to us and more, for which we’re very grateful. We’re grateful for the Farmer’s Market over by the Village Hall that grows bigger every year. We’re grateful for the concert series at Kiwanis Park during the summer and into fall. We eagerly wait for the 4th of July parade, Monsters on Main Street, and the annual Holiday Celebration event in December.
How do you view the library’s role as a “third space” in Brookfield? What can it do better in that regard?
I think that the most successful third spaces are open, inviting, and make one feel engaged and relaxed. Places that have a vibe or style that draw people in, make them feel welcome, interested and at ease, in a variety of ways. The provide opportunities for people to be engaged, whether that be in opportunities to communicate or socialize with others, or whether that just be in being able tor read or work in something in a space in the company of others. I think the Brookfield library made enormous gains in being able to increase what they had to offer in all of these ways with construction of the new library in 2021. The challenge now is to both refine the social engagement opportunities that are successful and continue to come up with new ones that appeal to more people.
What is your favorite library initiative or service? How do you make use of the library?
I love the LSF Brookfield Library’s partnership with the local homeless service organization, BEDS Plus. In light of the current, but ongoing, migrant crisis, the library developed two “Homelessness Educational Kits” as a learning resource for grades kindergarten through high school. I think these kits are a very creative and educational resource for parents, as well as teachers, and other interested groups.
How would you respond to a growing book ban movement?
As a parent of two young children, I certainly understand the position of parents that might be concerned about books containing graphic violence, sexual content, or explicit language, which parents or educators may feel are unsuitable for younger readers. I also sympathize with concerns about preventing misinformation and reducing exposure to hate speech and harmful stereotypes. But I am also very concerned about reducing access to diversity in literature, to both children and adults alike. I think it’s very important for people in a community to have access to information and literature on topics like race, gender, sexuality, and history, and from different perspectives. I would be a stronger proponent of agreed upon guidelines through community feedback than outright bans.
What is the biggest challenge facing the library?
With specifically the LSF Brookfield Library, probably something I am not even aware of. But I think that some of the biggest and consistent challenges facing the Brookfield library are the same ones facing every library. (1) Finding and maintaining adequate funding that maintains programs and initiatives that the community values and enjoy while remaining open and respectful to tax payer concerns and feedback. (2) Keeping up with the digital age of media by offering more than just books. (3) Encouraging the community’s use of the library by finding ways to remind or inform them of the library’s relevance as a “third space”, a place for collaborative events and community interests.
How does the library balance development and expansion with conserving tax dollars?
The first step with any budget is to prioritize needs over wants. One of the great things about having a library board is you have a group of people giving different perspectives and insight about what needs to happen to maintain the quality and experience of our library while respecting a limited budget. A group is better about coming with multiple solutions to issues with development and expansion. And I think the group should be receptive to the concerns and feedback of taxpayers and transparent about desired goals and objectives for the library and community.
Please add final thoughts not covered in this questionnaire. These responses may appear online.
What comes to my mind is one of my favorite quotes, said by Cicero, a Roman statesman, lawyer, and scholar who lived from 106–43 BC. “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”