Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has named now-former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th Ward)—until now, a member of the city council’s LGBTQ+ caucus and the leader of the seven-member Democratic Socialist Caucus—as superintendent of the Chicago Park District, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.
“I’m sad about leaving the City Council and serving as alderman. I am. There’s so many wonderful people I’ve worked with at the local level and at City Hall,” Ramirez-Rosa told the outlet. ““But to have the opportunity to serve the 2.7 million people of this city to ensure that our children have wonderful programming? The 8,800 acres of green space, the 600 parks—to have the opportunity to improve and protect that was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Ramirez-Rosa has been, at times, a controversial member of the city council. In 2017, then-Democratic gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss picked Ramirez-Rosa as his running mate—but then dropped him over Ramirez-Rosa’s support for the movement to punish and isolate Israel with “Boycott, Divest and Sanction.” And in 2023, Ramirez-Rosa resigned from his posts as chairman of the City Council’s Zoning Committee and as Johnson’s floor leader after being accused of “manhandling” Ald. Emma Mitts (37th Ward), the council’s longest-serving Black woman.
“Words matter. To be mindful of how your words will be interpreted. You may have specific intent, particularly when it’s something very emotional. But sometimes, it’s good to take a deep breath and be very precise with your language so there’s no confusion that leads to harm,” Ramirez-Rosa said of that latter situation.
Johnson will fill Ramirez-Rosa’s aldermanic seat by appointment after receiving recommendations from a community-based selection committee.