An LGBT activist once quipped of 39th Dist. Illinois Rep. Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios, "She goes so far back with them, it seems like they made deals in the womb."
He wasn't talking about Berrios' political connections. He was talking about her connections to LGBT advocates in her district.
Berrios has strong ties to Chicago's LGBT community. She is a supporter of Humboldt Park-based HIV/AIDS service organization VIDA/Sida, and she is running endorsed by Equality Illinois ( EQIL practice is to endorse pro-LGBT incumbents, even if their challengers are strong on LGBT issues ).
But not everyone in the LGBT community has backed Berrios in what is sure to be one of the most-watched races in Illinois this year. Two years ago, Berrios' Democractic challenger, Will Guzzardi, accused her of being weak in her support of same-sex marriage. He also alleged she was part of the political machine, in part because her father, Joe Berrios, is the Cook County assessor. Berrios squeaked past Guzzardi with just 125 votes to spare, and the two are set to face off again this election season.
Still, Berrios was a strong support of marriage equality the last two years, and she told Windy City Times that after more than a decade in office, she still wants to fight for her district. WCT caught up with Berrios to talk about what issues she thinks face LGBTs after marriage in Illinois and how she feels about criticisms that she is part of the machine.
Windy City Times: So let's talk first about marriage. How did you feel when the bill passed?
Toni Berrios: I was overjoyed. I knew the time had come, and I felt relief that we finally passed marriage equality, just to see everyone's faces and knowing how hard we all were working on this bill, on our colleagues just talking to them, asking them to help us on this vote. It felt like we finally accomplished something good at the end of the year.
WCT: But of course, it has been a tough few years in Illinois. What are your big legislative priorities down the road?
Toni Berrios: Education has always been a really big issue for me as the daughter of a Chicago Public School teacher—my mom just retired two years ago from teaching at the exact same school her entire educational career. It's always been really important to me to see what the students need in the classroom. Seeing her take her own money to pay for items that were needed in her classroom was heartbreaking…
A moratorium on school closings. That was huge last year. We had a resolution asking the city to stop closing our public schools. So hopefully, we don't have to go down that road this year, but I knows schools on my Northwest end are actually overcrowded. So we have to start working with that issue, too. And I meet with my principals on a regular basis, so that way I can hear what's going on first-hand in their immediate environment.
WCT: Can you talk about your stance on charters?
Toni Berrios: I am not in full support of them. We know they are not held to the same standards as our Chicago Public Schools. And they can let a student go right before testing just because they don't want the schools to go down, and that's not fair. Students deserve a good education, no matter what environment they're in.
WCT: In this race and in the last one against Will Guzzardi, you were billed as a political insider, as part of the Democratic machine. How do you respond to that criticism?
Toni Berrios: I've been in this for 10 years now. In 10 years, you meet a lot of people, and you get to stand your own ground. My record shows that I do stand my own ground. I did not vote with the speaker [Michael Madigan] on the pension bill. I did not vote for fracking here in Illinois. I went against the corporations on that. I feel my record does show I stand for my district. I vote on the issues important to my district. And when it comes to the people, I've been in for 10 years, so I do know quite a few people. My dad is a great mentor, but I am the state rep. I am the one in Springfield, casting the vote, listening to constituents and trying to help my community as best I can.
WCT: I'm wondering, after all your time in Springfield, do you feel like change is still possible down there? Do you want to change the culture there?
Toni Berrios: I think it's very possible. We don't want to change everything, but in the last election cycle we had over 25 freshman come into the House, many younger individuals. I think now, I have a group that actually wants to work. So I do see things moving forward.
WCT: With marriage equality passed, what do you see as the biggest issues facing LGBT Illinoisans?
Toni Berrios: We want to make sure people have access to healthcare, LGBT and non-LGBT, and safety. We don't want anyone bullied. We don't want hate crimes. I think these are all issues that are important to all of us that we can continue to work on.
WCT: After so many years in this job, why does it appeal to you?
Toni Berrios: It's the little things. It's the giving back. It's the bringing resources to the community.
Visit toniberrios.com .
Also see Windy City Times printable election chart at www.windycitymediagroup.com/pdf/WCT_2014_primarychartsforweb.pdf .
