House Candidate, Daughter of Immigrants Delia Ramirez Born to Serve Others
Delia Ramirez was literally born into community service.
The 39-year-old Illinois state representative and former community organizer, who’s running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the newly created 3rd congressional district, told Latino Rebels the story of how she went from being the daughter of immigrants living above a church to become one of the youngest and most effective leaders in Illinois politics.
Her parents emigrated from the same town in Guatemala, and her family lived above a church, Humboldt Park United Methodist, in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood during the first years of Ramirez’s life. Her parents agreed to rent the upstairs apartment at a reduced rate in exchange for janitorial services.
The church also provided a number of services for the local homeless population, most notably a food pantry and soup kitchen, where Ramirez spent much of her childhood.
“When I wasn’t in church, in the actual sanctuary, I was volunteering with my mom at the food pantry or at the soup kitchen,” Ramirez said. “So helping others and compassion —understanding that you don’t have to have a lot, you just have to have a giving heart and the willingness to serve— has been instilled in my DNA since the day I was born.”