Snack Chat: State Senator Mike Simmons

We're relaunching our Snack Chat series where we talk to folks in the community about what they do, why they do it, and what food means to them.

Let’s get started. Who you are and what you do? 

Hi, I'm Mike Simmons. I use pronouns he/his, and I am the State Senator for the 7th District of Illinois. 

What originally motivated you to run for public office?

I ran for office because I feel like representation is really important and I wanted to represent my communities – as an LGBTQ person, as a son of an asylum seeker from Ethiopia, and honestly, as someone who's eccentric. 

You're running for Congress now. What made you feel like this is the right time?

We need representation in Congress for the kind of communities that we have right here in Andersonville, Rogers Park, and Edgewater. Communities that are diverse, have strong progressive values, and that want to see us fight for human rights, whether it be for housing, healthcare, or our fundamental rights to exist. 

The world feels extremely turbulent right now with the economic issues, ICE raids, and the overall political climate. How is your office supporting people at this moment?

My local state senate office is supporting people during this unprecedented, crazy, anxiety-ridden time by first of all participating in rapid response for our immigrant and refugee neighbors who have been targeted by ICE. We're making sure that we stand with them, connect them to legal services, and make sure they understand their rights. We’re working with underground organizations that are really the first point of access for so many of our communities that have been directly targeted by the federal government.

What’s giving you hope right now?

That so many people have not given up. I read a story about a group of migrants that went on a long march throughout the southwest side of Chicago, including a mother who was feeling really scared. If they are still willing to be outside and take their dignity and center it in this work, then I, as a State Senator who has a platform and a privilege, absolutely can't give up hope. 

You grew up in Chicago and were raised here. What was your favorite food as a kid? 

Oh my gosh, favorite food as a kid... My absolute favorite is probably Mexican food, tied with Ethiopian food. If I’m having Mexican or Ethiopian on any given day of the week, I’m happy. My second favorite is Indian and Pakistani. My mother and I both loved Indian food; it was how we bonded. We would walk over to Devon Street when I was a kid and go for Nepalese, Pakistani, Indian, just anything that we wanted at the time. I just like to eat. I love food. Food brings people together. Food is absolutely a part of culture. 

What's your favorite thing to cook at home? 

I like to cook something called gomen, which is an Ethiopian green. It's basically a collard green that I saute with all kinds of yummy seasonings. It takes about 45 minutes. My partner and I have it as a staple every week. It gives us a lot of the nutrients we need and it's relatively easy to make. Anything I can do to get vitamins and some greens from the ground. 

Last question, and this one's very serious. Tavern style or deep dish? 

Tavern style. That's probably going to get me in trouble with some people, but I am from Chicago. I love to roll into a random dive bar where sometimes you'll find tavern style pizza just waiting for you. 

Any last thoughts?

One thing I’d like to share about my run for Congress is that it is all about supporting small businesses like Ándale and the small businesses that we have in Andersonville. We want other parts of the 9th Congressional District and other retail corridors around the country to have shops like this where [small business owners] can afford the rent and be in a vibrant corridor. 

Members of Congress don't talk enough about small businesses and the real benefits that come from mom and pops, not big corporations like Amazon, that are eating up our retail corridors and coming into places like Andersonville and making them unaffordable. I want to take that agenda to Congress because no one's really doing it, no one really talks about it. That, along with the fight for housing as a human right, the fight for health care, the fight for mental health, parity, and just the fight for basic representation, which is something our community lives and breathes every day. I'm proud to be running for Congress and to take that fight to the federal level when it's desperately needed. 

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senatormikesimmons.com
Learn more about Mike's run for Congress at mikesimmons.org

Interviewed by Arabella Breck for Ándale Market.
The original interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.