May 27, 2025 Story by: Editor
In a recent analysis by WTTW News, information revealed nearly half of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s senior leadership team is Black, and more than half are women, reflecting his administration’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Since taking office in May 2023, Johnson has appointed over 100 individuals to key positions requiring City Council confirmation or leading city agencies. These appointments closely mirror Chicago’s racial demographics as reported in the 2020 census, more so than those of his predecessors.
Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry, the first Black woman to serve as the city’s top lawyer, said Wednesday evening the city had not yet been notified of the probe, but “only saw it on social media.”
Johnson brushed off the threat of the probe.
“We’re not going to be intimidated by the tyranny that’s coming from the federal government,” Johnson told reporters May 19. “The diversity of our city is our strength.”
The mayor’s senior staff, which includes deputy mayors and other top advisors, is composed of approximately 48% Black individuals, with women making up over 50% of the team. Latino and White Chicagoans each represent about 24% of the senior staff, and Asian Americans comprise 4%.
Approximately 47% of the Chicagoans Johnson appointed to positions of power during the past two years were Black. Another 22% were White, while 24% were Latino and 5% were Asian, according to WTTW News’ analysis.
“My administration reflects the country, reflects the city,” Johnson said, after calling many of President Donald Trump’s appointees unqualified. “His administration reflects the country club.”
The people of Chicago are 31.4% White, 29.9% Latino, 28.7% Black and 6.9% Asian, according to the 2020 U.S. census.
The city’s overall workforce was 38% White, 29.5% Black, 26.5% Latino and 3.4% Asian American, according to city data.
Johnson has emphasized that the diversity within his administration is a fulfillment of his campaign promises to address systemic racism and promote racial equity within City Hall. He has stated that having a diverse leadership team ensures a broader range of perspectives and more inclusive decision-making processes.
Johnson has made one appointment to the City Council, tapping Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th Ward) to replace Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who Johnson picked to lead the Chicago Park District.
Of the nearly 75 appointments Johnson made that required City Council confirmation, 48% were Black. Another 23% were White, another 23% were Latino and 5% were Asian, according to WTTW News’ analysis. The appointments were evenly split between men and women, according to the analysis.
Nearly half of Johnson’s 25-member senior staff is Black; the staff is nearly equally divided between men and women, according to the analysis. Latino Chicagoans make up 24% of his senior staff, with White Chicagoans making up another 24%, according to the analysis. Johnson has one Asian American among his senior staff, according to WTTW News’ analysis.
In all, 105 people serve in the mayor’s office, according to an analysis released by Johnson’s office in the wake of the announcement of the federal probe. They are 34% Black, 30% White, 24% Latino and 7% Asian American, officials said.
However, the administration’s hiring practices have come under federal scrutiny. The Department of Justice announced an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race in its hiring decisions.
Approximately 46% of the Chicagoans Johnson appointed to the school board were Black, including board president Sean Harden. Another 30% were Latino, another 15% were Latino and 8% were Asian, according to WTTW News’ analysis. Nearly 70% were women, according to the analysis.
In response to the probe, Johnson defended his administration’s approach, stating, “We’re not going to be intimidated by the tyranny that’s coming from the federal government. The diversity of our city is our strength.”
As the investigation unfolds, the mayor’s office maintains that its hiring practices are aimed at creating a leadership team that reflects the city’s diverse population and addresses longstanding inequities.
Source: WTTW Chicago / Chicago. Gov
