Daniel’s Story

About Daniel

Daniel was born and raised in a working-class family,

moving to Chicago in 1999 for college. He and his brothers grew up attending good public schools, teaching Daniel the value of quality education for all.

When the company that employed his father went bankrupt, it threw his family into crisis. His parents did everything they could to scrape by and hold onto the family home, but they were just one accident or big medical bill away from ruin, a feeling familiar to too many families in our city.

With scholarships and loans, Daniel came to Chicago to attend North Park University, where his experiences volunteering with people experiencing homelessness and at city non-profits exposed him to the economic inequality and racial injustices plaguing our city’s neighborhoods.

Just like the circumstances that devastated his family, Chicago wasn’t working for far too many. It was time to take action.

Daniel’s desire to be a part of the solution led him to the Logan Square Neighborhood Association where he served as Vice President and was a leader on issues around housing and community development. He helped lead the fight for affordable housing in our community, fought to pass legislation that protected renters in properties facing foreclosure, and advocated for more inclusive zoning policies.

He later completed his Masters Degree in Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), focusing his research on inequities around parks, government budgets, and housing.

Daniel La Spata was elected Alderman of the 1st Ward in 2019.

At a time when many City Council members faced federal corruption charges, Daniel ran for Alderman to bring transparency, accountability, and community voices to City Hall. Daniel is an independent voice fighting for our communities, not just monied special interests. As Alderman, Daniel prioritizes modernizing our approach to public safety, making our neighborhoods more affordable, and centering community input in development and budget decisions.

We hope you’ll join Daniel and our movement to keep progressive leadership in the 1st Ward.