My life began in Oak Park and I was raised in Bellwood where I attended public schools surrounded by students from diverse backgrounds. I was made to feel welcomed and accepted by my community. I continued my education at two incredible higher-ed institutions in Illinois to prepare me for my future endeavors of law and community service: Loyola University of Chicago and The John Marshall Law School.
My positive upbringing led to the non-negotiable idea of raising a family of my own and fostering businesses within the hospitable and welcoming borders of our state.
When my husband, Ken, and I became empty-nesters, we began to explore the potential of moving into another area of Illinois.
Specifically, we looked towards towns slightly south of I-80.
Our dream home, to me, was smaller than the one we had with our children and located somewhere with slightly warmer weather.
Ken envisioned our home with more land.
Ken began to read the local newspapers of towns we considered moving into. He discovered crime per capita more than in Chicago, populations much smaller than we were used to, taxes that were higher, and a major lack of jobs and culture.
Why choose to relocate, especially out of state when Illinois has so much to offer? A few examples of why we chose to stay include: