In September 2017, after years of volunteering in her community and participating in local elections, Atour Sargon attended a breakfast with Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. The event, focused on women’s empowerment, aimed to encourage Assyrian professionals in Chicagoland to take local politics more seriously.
Nearly twenty Assyrian-American women listened as Schakowsky led conversations on leadership. “Women are empathetic,” Schakowsky told the group. “They are very careful in their decision-making processes.”
Sargon followed intently. She had long considered working in local politics, but as a mother of two and as First Vice President of the Lincolnwood PTA, she questioned whether she had the time. After the event, she reached out to Schakowsky — who would later become one of her closest political mentors.
“Jan put things in perspective for me that this is something I can definitely do,” Sargon said. “I realized I’m qualified to do this and I shouldn’t think twice about it. I should pursue my dreams.”
“I think this is a woman that’s just getting started,” Schakowsky said. “She’s just an exciting new force in local politics and I think she has a very bright future. I think she can fly.”
Sargon has since committed herself to representing her Assyrian community. She is now running for a Board of Trustee seat in Lincolnwood’s April 2 consolidated general election.
“I have ties to this community, I grew up in this community, and I have always been active in the Assyrian community,” she said. “This will break the barriers for our community to reestablish that feeling to come out and vote and participate in local government.”
Growing up in Lincolnwood
Sargon grew up on Chicago’s North Side. Her family moved to Lincolnwood when she was 15, and she began attending Niles West High School. She recalls her family volunteering across the neighborhood.
“Although both of my parents worked endless hours, they still made time to volunteer,” she said.
She went on to study political science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she helped found the Assyrian Chaldean Syriac student movement. After graduating, she worked as an office manager and legal assistant at a law firm in the loop.
For eight years, Sargon set her political ambitions aside. She married, had two children, and continued volunteering. Still, local politics continued to pull at her, leading her to pursue a graduate degree in Public Policy and Administration at Northwestern. She became increasingly involved in local leadership, eventually serving as First Vice President of Lincolnwood School District 74’s PTA.
In late 2017, Illinois State Senate candidate Ram Villivalam announced his run against incumbent Ira Silverstein. Sargon believed in Villivalam’s commitment to engaging her community, so she joined his campaign — knocking on doors, hosting meet-and-greets, and introducing him to the area’s Assyrian population. Villivalam went on to win by more than 20%.
Her work was noticed. Following Villivalam’s election, Sargon was invited to join her local political party’s slate. Schakowsky then recommended her for the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership Training Academy, which prepares women for elected and appointed roles.
“Atour’s so anxious to continue learning about how to be an effective legislator, how to be an effective public servant, and how to win elections,” Schakowsky said.
Alliance for Lincolnwood
Sargon is running for a Board of Trustee seat on the “Alliance for Lincolnwood” ticket, alongside longtime residents Craig Klatzco and current trustee Jesal Patel.
The six-member Board of Trustees serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting policy, overseeing land use, and managing the village’s finances.
“We have a focus on economic development while maintaining a responsible and sustainable fiscal policy,” Sargon said. “Most importantly, we want to serve our community. We’re going to stay accountable for our community and we’re going to do it with integrity.”
On April 2, voters will choose three trustees from a pool of six candidates, with the Alliance slate facing an opposing trio.
“We have never had a more qualified Assyrian candidate running for political office,” said Billy Haido, co-founder and board of director of Vote Assyrian, a Chicago-based nonprofit that promotes civic engagement in the Assyrian American community. “Our community needs small victories on a local municipal level, and I truly believe Lincolnwood, Illinois is where it starts.”
Lincolnwood, a village of roughly 12,500 in Cook County, has a history of close elections. Its last mayoral race was decided by fewer than 300 votes. With that in mind, Sargon and her team began compiling a list of Assyrian residents who were eligible but not yet registered to vote, then launched a campaign of door-knocking, meet-and-greets, and community outreach.
“The Assyrian community in Lincolnwood can make a huge impact on a local election,” she said. “Local politics affects where property tax dollars are going as well as safety and economic development decisions. It will affect their everyday lives.”
Atour stressed the importance of civic participation.
“We have the right to vote,” she said. “Many Assyrians fled their countries because of the lack of freedom. It’s the most basic right we can participate in.”