Vance
My mother’s side of the family moved to North Chicago due to the military base. My grandfather was stationed here at Great Lakes and my mom went to school here. My dad’s side came up with The Great Migration. That’s how my family came to be here, and I grew up here.
When I went off to school I realized there was a lot of economic development going on and wondered, “Why can’t we have that back here at home?” So I dropped out of college as a 19 year old, thinking I’m going to run for Alderman: “I’m going to solve all the problems!”
I lost horribly. I think 27 percent of the vote. Went back to school and finished my degree, then ran for Park Board. Again, lost that election. Came in sixth out of six. So I went to grad school. I decided I was gonna run for office one more time. Ran for the Park Board and got elected. I won by two votes. Before the election, I’d actually interviewed with Google and they offered me a job. But this is my home. I’d tried to do this three times. I was elected, and now– let’s see what we can do. I haven’t looked back.
I come from five generations in North Chicago. My great grandmother to my nieces and nephews are here. For me it was like, “If I’m not going to do it, who else is?” It’s that mentality I had when I was 19, when I thought I knew everything, trying to make the change. I learned over the years: I don’t know everything. I fell and bumped my head a few times. Now, more than a third of my life so far has been dedicated to politics.
We got a beach done. We turned our finances around in 2015 to 2017, which led us to be able to get a new bond issuance so we could actually get that beach open for the first time in almost 100 years. We had eight government agencies that we had to go through at the state level, and five at the national level. But you know, we pushed forward and we got that beach reopened last year.
What do you want for yourself, personally?
Family. Being able to feel safe and have activities for my kids to do. That’s pretty much it. And to live a life that I feel fulfilled in. One that I can look back on when I get older and say that I’m proud of what I was able to do throughout my life.
I do have my plans for retirement. My first year of retirement, I want to go to Africa and explore an entire continent… to explore and visit the motherland. My great, great grandfather was from Ireland, so I want to go to Ireland as well. Go figure. Going back in history, being able to explore and seeing where and how things were done and built; that's kind of my thing. I’ve got 34 years and 34 years to go, but I've already got it planned it out.
Do you have any secret talents?
I garden. I picked that up right before COVID happened. I bought an apple tree and I planted it, and didn’t know anything about gardening. Every every plant I have ever had before, I killed. My apple tree has not died. I am proud of myself. It is now on year four and it’s much taller than me, and I got apples last year. And I have a whole strawberry patch in there. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, a whole bunch of stuff.
Congrats on not killing that tree, but what are you most proud of?
Taking care of my mom. My mom took care of her mother when she got sick. That was my freshman year in college, and I’m now taking care of my mom. Been doing so since 2017. Her nickname is Juicy, but we have a saying: “You fat and happy!” That’s my goal: to keep making sure she’s fat and happy– and to try to make sure that I’m there for her.
You mentioned losing your dad at a young age. Now as an adult, what do you say to a young person who’s experiencing a big loss like that, or feeling at a disadvantage?
The biggest thing is, there’s opportunity out there. If you put yourself in the right positions, you can do whatever you want to. Pretty much all of us that went off to college from my hight school class…we struggled initially, but if you really want it and you put your mind to it and work hard for it, you will get there. And just because you have these “challenges,” it’s not going to hold you back, unless you let it hold you back.
You got your start in local politics as a young person; did you always see that as part of your future?.
I wanted to be an astrophysicist when I was younger.
What happened to that dream?
They don’t make enough money. That was the issue. I knew I was going to end up taking care of my mom, and I was like, “Yeah, I’m just going into finance because they make money,” and I could afford to take care of my mom, too. So I kind of picked the right plan.
What’s your biggest fear?
In my personal life, I guess, not having a family. My generation is not having as many kids as previous generations, but I don’t know…
Probably the biggest fear of my political or public life is not getting things accomplished.
I don’t meet people and say “Hey, my name is Treasurer, Vance Wyatt. Or Commissioner…” I don’t do that. I just say my name is Vance. That’s the name my mom gave me. The title’s temporary, I’m going to have it for a brief period of time. And one day, I won’t be that anymore. I have a position– but it doesn’t matter if you don’t get things done within that position.
I’m Vance. That’s pretty much it. Grew up here in North Chicago, went off to school, and then came back to do some things. Get some things done. Real simple.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.