From her roots as a political activist in New York and Chicago, Joanne Trapani has come a long way. The next stop on her political journey, president of the west suburban Village of Oak Park, was celebrated Monday night with a Council Chambers filled with friends watching Trapani and other Oak Park elected officials being sworn in. Trapani thanked her partner, Mary Becker (below, right) and outgoing Village President Barbara Furlong (below, left), who received a standing ovation for her four years leading the community. Furlong said Oak Park must continue to be a progressive community, a statement echoed by other Trustees. Trapani, who ran unopposed in the April 3 election, received 4,644 votes in the Village, which has about 52,000 residents. Photos by Tracy Baim