DC: I knew your Dad, Mr. Lightfoot, very well from growing up in the church and he was an amazing man. What advice do you think he would have given you during your historical run?
LL: My dad was cautious guy, so I think he would have been concerned. He would have been worried about whether or not this was the right thing for me to do. He would have certainly been worried about my safety. He would not have understood giving up an income for a year, because he had to work way too hard for what he had. But ultimately my father loved me, and I know that once I made a determination that this is what I was going to do I think he would have been one hundred percent supportive.
DC: You are the first black, female, openly gay mayor of Chicago. You’ve most likely had many life experiences that few people can relate to. Why do you think an overwhelmingly number of voters resonated with you versus your opponent?
LL: I think certainly some of it was a historic nature of the opportunity, but I think the driving factor for people across the city was that they were sick and tired from the same old same old. They really latched on to our message of change and about a different type of government that was more accountable, transparent and a government that actually heard and saw the needs of people across the city who are traditionally locked out from the tables of power. I think that message really resonated with people far and wide. I still have people walking up to me on the eve of my inauguration talking about their great optimism and hope, but desire for change. I think that really touched people. Even though people wanted change for a very long time, I don’t think they ever thought it was possible. But after they saw me come out on top during the primaries, they were galvanized and then thought it was possible. They saw me as a candidate that’s not part of the machine. One who was saying and living a life that looked like the kind of govern-ment and leader that people want.