Raised by parents who immigrated from Mexico in search of a better life, Jesus learned the values of hard work, sacrifice, and service at an early age.

Beginning in fourth grade, he woke up at 4 a.m. on weekends to help his family at the Buyers Flea Market. His parents worked hard to create opportunities for their children, but there were things they could not provide on their own. For Jesus, Chicago Public Schools helped fill that gap. It was in CPS that he learned English, met caring educators and mentors who invested in his future, and connected to resources and opportunities that helped put him on a path to college.

After graduating from CPS, Jesus attended Lake Forest College as a CPS Scholarship recipient, earning his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Music. He later earned a Master of Public Administration from Illinois Tech and is currently pursuing his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Along the way, Jesus became increasingly aware that too many Chicago students were not receiving the support and opportunities they needed to reach college, complete a degree, and build the future they envisioned. He decided to dedicate his career to helping change that.

Jesus began his career in education as an AmeriCorps City Year member at Gage Park High School, working directly with ninth-grade students. He later joined One Million Degrees, where he supported City Colleges of Chicago students and helped transform an under-enrolled program into an over-enrolled and fully engaged initiative, while expanding tutoring and scholarship support. He eventually moved into management, overseeing college partnership initiatives serving students at Richard J. Daley College, Malcolm X College, and Harold Washington College. Most recently, Jesus served as Chief Operating Officer at MetroSquash, a Chicago youth development and education nonprofit supporting students from elementary school through college. Across these roles, his work has centered on equipping young people with the academic support, financial resources, college and career guidance, and trusted relationships they need to succeed.

His commitment to public education also extends beyond his professional career. Jesus served as a Community Representative on the Jones College Prep Local School Council, gaining firsthand experience with school-level governance and the importance of student, family, educator, and community participation in CPS decision-making. He has also volunteered with Chicago organizations focused on student leadership, college access, career readiness, and public service. These experiences have reinforced his belief that the people most affected by decisions about our schools should have a meaningful voice in shaping them.

Jesus is running for the Chicago Board of Education to ensure every Chicago student has the same access to opportunity. He will bring a student-first approach to the Board, keeping student outcomes, experiences, safety, and opportunities at the center of decision-making while advancing equity and access, meaningful community voice, accountable governance, and the long-term success of Chicago’s public schools.

For Jesus, this campaign is about giving back to the public school system that helped shape his own future, and making sure that a student’s opportunities do not depend on their neighborhood, language, disability, family income, or ability to navigate a complicated system. He believes every community deserves strong schools where every child has the support they need to succeed.