If you’ve been to Detroit recently or Gary, Indiana, you might be able to picture East St. Louis, Illinois. The landscape is characterized by empty lots, dilapidated homes and abandoned storefronts. But Mayor Alvin Parks is full of hope.
The past couple of days, we’ve been following WBEZ’s Richard Steele on an Election Road Trip to gauge voter sentiment around Illinois. On the last stop, Mayor Parks gave Richard a ride in a city pickup truck to share the city’s history and promise.