“There’s plenty of room for everyone in the city, whether you’re seeking asylum” or unhoused, he told the applauding crowd at the University of Illinois at Chicago Credit 1 Arena. “We don’t want the Chicago story to be that we haven’t invested in all of our people.”
However, the real chorus of his speech was “soul of Chicago,” addressing the importance of investing in underserved communities.
“The soul of Chicago tells us that we will never close our doors to those who come here in search of a better life,” Johnson, the son of a pastor, said in a rousing 40-minute speech. “That has always been the soul of Chicago. And it will always be the soul of Chicago.”
The new mayor continued: “No one should be too poor to live in one of the richest cities in one of the richest countries in the world. … We can bring Chicago home, Chicago.
“We don’t want our story to be that we were traumatized by violence… and the residents had no choice but to leave,” he said. That won’t be our story. Not on my watch.”
Johnson received the wildest applause when he reiterated his support for “treatment, not trauma,” a reference to his support for reopening public mental health facilities to partner with the non-profit facilities that outgoing mayor, Lori Lightfoot, has supported. Her immediate predecessor, Rahm Emanuel, had closed public health facilities and the debate over whether to reopen them fueled much of the political campaign.
Johnson took the oath after exchanging a handshake from Lightfoot, who received wild applause as she welcomed the crowd “to a peaceful transfer of power”.
It was a reminder that even though Lightfoot lost her re-election bid, she and Johnson are united as Democrats.
Johnson weaved humor into a speech that paid homage to Chicago and reminded people that he was one of 10 kids learning how to negotiate.
In addition to picking up where Lightfoot left off in tackling an escalating migrant crisis and ongoing violence, Johnson will also need to figure out how to tackle the city’s precipitous retirement problems.
Johnson was a district administration commissioner and a paid organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union before running for mayor. He and former public school principal Paul Vallas defeated Lightfoot in the February 28 election, and then Johnson defeated Vallas in the April 4 runoff election.
Johnson was backed by the CTU, which had spent a decade trying to elevate a candidate who supported social justice issues to the office of mayor. Members of the CTU and SEIU, who also lift Johnson’s campaign, were in full attendance at Johnson’s swearing in, even chanting union names back and forth before the ceremony began.
Johnson also paid tribute to the 50 newly elected members of the Chicago City Council, whom he must work with to promote his efforts to “invest in people.”
The Council’s Progressive Caucus has grown, giving Johnson a strong voting bloc in his administration. But the 20 members are not enough to make decisions, so he will have to work with all the aldermen to get things done.
Johnson started the day with an “inauguration tour,” stopping on the west side of town before arriving at the UIC arena for the ceremony.
Later Monday afternoon, he will join a long tradition of new Chicago mayors by greeting residents who will line up to congratulate him at City Hall.
Later Monday, Johnson will be celebrated at an invitation-only event for supporters, elected officials and community leaders called “The People’s Ball.”