Jonathan T. Swain is a candidate for Congress in the 1st Congressional District. Jonathan attended Duke University, is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and received an undergraduate degree in Economics and African American Studies. After graduation, Jonathan held several civic roles before earning a law degree from Northwestern University. He also earned his MBA, focusing on Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management, from The University of Chicago.
Jonathan is a life-long member of the Chicago Southside and a second-generation entrepreneur. His father, John W. Swain, Sr., owned a chain of pharmacies on the Southside. He is the proprietor of Kimbark Beverage Shoppe.
Jonathan organizes community events and is the founder of the Hyde Park Summer Fest. In addition, he co-founded Black Bench Chicago, which aims to train the next generation of Black civic leaders. Swain was a Chicago Board of Elections commissioner for five years and earlier served as chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Jonathan has worked as Chief of Staff to two aldermen and worked in Mayor Daley’s office as a Deputy Commissioner for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development.
He was the Executive Director and Director of Community Development for Saint Sabina Church. He now resides in Hyde Park with his wife and children.
This is his first effort for elected office. The primary election is on June 28, 2022. The general election is on November 8, 2022.
N’DIGO: You have a business background. You are the second generation of entrepreneurs. And you have developed festivals in Hyde Park, and you have co-founded Black Bench Chicago, which is preparing the next generation for politics. So, with such a business background, why are you seeking the Congressional seat in the first?
Jonathan T. Swain: I think the business background tells part of the story. I also have a government background, and when you combine business, entrepreneurship, and government with philanthropy and my work with youth, it provides a unique lens. I can solve problems. So, I think that by taking the community voice and community solutions combined with that lens, collectively, we can solve the problems in our community as opposed to lamenting about them.
What do you hope to accomplish as a Congressman?
I hope to center the community and their voice with representation. So often, our leaders don’t always include community voices in the solution. And that is evident by a lack of civic participation in our community. As a congressman, I want to pass legislation, and bring resources back and also engage the community in the collective work of the 1st congressional district to restore our community and lay the foundation for the next 25 years of growth.
In your opinion, what are the three top issues at this time in the race?
What I hear from those I talked to in the district is the effects of inflation, higher prices for food and gas, and people needing relief.
Secondly, people are saying they want to feel safe, that’s everybody, and people don’t feel safe.
Thirdly, people are concerned about the cost and quality of health care. I have heard people say that they are worried that if I get sick, will I be able to get medicine and keep my house. Many people would say we are worse off than we were twenty-five years ago. Things are hard. What gives you hope? The tenacity of young people not to accept the status quo.
You have not been in electoral politics, but you have served as Chief of Staff to Aldermen Terry Peterson and Latasha R. Thomas; what did you learn?
I learned that service is paramount. I learned that the role of the elected official is to serve and listen. They gave me a great model to learn how to lead by listening.
You also served as an Assistant to Mayor Richard Daley. What did you learn from the mayor’s office?
I understood how government works and how the different pieces of government fit together, local, state, and federal. I learned how the relationship exists between the legislative and executive branches of government. The components of government coexist and work together. I also learned how resource allocations were determined. Finally, I learned why specific neighborhoods got certain things.
As a Congressman, how would you vote on the war in Ukraine? What would you do as a Congressman?
There has been nothing before Congress. I believe we have to provide all of the support we can for the Ukrainian people to stop Russia from moving forward because it sets a bad example in the geo-politically landscape for the world. What happens in Russia and Ukrainian impacts Africa, for example.
Urban America is in an uproar with crime issues, from public transportation to carjacking to random shootings on the street. So what can you do as a congressman to address this out-of-control crime?
WE need to think about it differently, from the lens of safety. We need to think about it from the vantage point of making everyone safe. We need investment in mental health resources, especially since Covid-19. We need to increase our investment in schools and youth activity to ensure the 5, 6, and 7-year-olds don’t turn into teen criminals. We need to provide appropriate resources to ensure police reform. WE need to think about investigation rank in the police department.
Name three people you most admire?
Ella Baker because she crossed generations and incorporated young people into the movement work, and she believed true leadership relied upon the people and not one identifiable leader.
Mayor Maynard Jackson because he understood the connection between business and government and its impact on the larger community.
My dad, John W. Swain, Sr. because he, taught me and demonstrated a commitment to the Black community. There are many different ways to be committed; you can serve your community from your position. I just learned, for example, that my dad and another businessman picked up the buckets of money that were in neighborhoods for the late Mayor Harold Washington. I didn’t know that, but I was impressed.
Name three people you would most like to have dinner with.
Nelson Mandela because he took leadership and held a country together during transformation. I would want to ask him how to hold people together when people are afraid of change. Barbara Jordan, what was it like for her to be in the southern state of Texas. How did she navigate politics in the context of Texas? And Dempsey Travis because he understood both sides of Chicago very well. He understood the politics and the business of the Black community.
What are your thoughts about Chicago having a casino?
Chicago has significant liabilities it needs to address, including pension liabilities. The casino and cannabis are attempts to fill those gaps. My concern is whether or not those vehicles are to take more resources from struggling communities. We need to create engines that don’t necessarily rely on gambling; ultimately, we are putting another layer of burden on the black and brown communities. Another solution is creating something like the South Suburban Airport.
