Englewood Activist Tapped for Esther Golar’s House Seat

Norman Parish | As of Wednesday, October 28, 2015

A community activist was selected for the vacant seat of Ill. State Rep. Esther Golar, who died last month.

Sonya Harper, 34, was voted into the 6th District post last week by a group of committeemen, headed by 15th Ward Ald. Raymond  Lopez, who also serves as the ward’s Democratic committeeman.

Harper, who is a resident of Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, will hold the job until at least until January, 2017.  A primary election is slated for the seat next March.

Ald. David Moore (17th Ward), who has worked on several community projects with Harper, said he asked Harper to seek Golar’s seat.

“She is not new to the community,” said Moore. “She has helped bring changes to the Englewood community. She is a people’s person. She basically has the heart of the people.”

Harper said she plans to continue in the legacy of Golar, who died Sept. 21. Golar was first elected to the 6th District seat Nov. 7, 2006.

“I feel excited and honored -- a bit overwhelmed but ready to get to work,” Harper told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper. “I just want to continue her legacy of supporting and standing up for the most vulnerable people in the sixth district.”

Harper took the “Esther Golar Pledge” to support, SB 570, legislation that according to officials, reverses parts of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s“emergency rule” in particular, those restricting the eligibility requirements for the Child Care Assistance Program.

While sick, Golar traveled to Springfield to vote in support of the plan.

“In an act of total bravery and at great risk to herself, Representative Golar came to Springfield to defy Gov. Bruce Rauner and stand up for the people of the 6th District,” Harper said in a statement. “Her very last vote was to reverse his cruel cuts to child care, which do not solve our budget crisis but do harm our economy and hurt working families.”

Harper said she has been a community activist on the South Side since age16.

She said her passions include, “promoting community, economic development and civic engagement in an effort to create more peaceful and prosperous neighborhoods.”

Harper, who owns Sharper PR Communications, is executive director for Grow Greater Englewood and director of Outreach Growing Home, which works to empower Englewood.

Harper, a University of Missouri in Columbia graduate, also spent a decade working as a producer, writer and reporter for NBC, FOX and CBS affiliates throughout the Midwest.

Harper lives in West Englewood with her 5-year-old daughter.

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