Illinois Black leaders gather at the Illinois Capitol

Posted on March 22, 2022
(left to right) Juliana Stratton, Mattie Hunter, Kam Buckner. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

Three of Illinois’ Black leaders are back from Washington, D.C., where Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson sits for confirmation hearings as a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Oh, my God, it was just an exciting, awesome day,” State Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) said the day after witnessing Monday’s opening day of the hearings. “I contacted three weeks ago, Senator (Dick) Durbin, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, and I asked if I could come in and get a ticket. He said yes. I actually met Judge Jackson, her parents, her brother – and the room was just filled with excitement!”

Hunter has met the first Black and first female vice president, Kamala Harris – a sorority sister – and, of course, served with then-State Sen. Barack Obama. Also on hand in Washington Monday were Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago).

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].

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