Critical-thinking citizens don’t usually have favorite local politicians, just favorite local interests. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit a special fondness for Village of Oak Park Clerk Sandra Sokol. She’s retiring May 4 … kinda sorta.
She hints she will continue to be a member of seven boards. On Wednesday, April 29, the village and others are throwing a farewell party for her at the Carleton Hotel, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. In her characteristic self-described “activist” way, this long-haired, mild-mannered, Bronx-born former hippie teacher from Public School 150, insisted her tribute be “free and open to the public.” That might give you a clue why she’s my favorite.
There are other reasons, too. She’s competent, committed and compassionate – all qualities you don’t see often enough in elected officials. Sandra was elected four consecutive times for four-year stints to be the village clerk, a post in charge of documents, codes, elections and other duties. She’s been the clerk as long as my family has been in town. During that time, she’s had positive interactions with three generations of my family. Plus, we both come from multicultural communities, where African Americans and Jewish Americans found common ground.
In an interview at village hall in her deputy clerk’s office (because she had packed up everything in her own), beneath a vibrant Wassily Kandinsky print, wearing a colorful ethnic print dress and her trademark smile, Sandra explained to me her regrets, accomplishments, and a bittersweet report on the village’s not-so-recent past and future with diversity. “My husband, David and two sons, Adam and Andrew, moved here in 1972 at a time when some whites were moving out and some blacks were moving in,” she said.
“There was tension between some of the older whites with some of the new blacks and Jews. There was one social club that did not accept blacks or Jews as members. I immediately became involved in housing issues and diversity issues – along with lots of others like Sherlynn Reid and Bobbi Raymond – to ease the tensions. With their help, we were successful in convincing the Village of Oak Park, then located on Lake Street, to relocate east of Ridgeland because we felt we needed to have an institutional symbol of inclusion and diversity. I must admit, some folks were terrified at the black presence,” Sandra said.
I interjected, “Some might argue that palpable fear is still here. I’ve received several reports since the recent District 200 school board election, citing the fact that, at least on paper, the most qualified candidates – two educators and the sitting school board president – were African Americans. Yet, voters opted for mostly white candidates, with the lone black school board president barely winning. Many cite fear of blacks behind what happened in that election you presided over.”
Her lips were still. Her eyes loquacious. After a long pause, Sandra said, “Fear still exists. But many things have changed. In some areas, there is progress, such as a black Police Chief Rick Tanksley and a few other people of color who have been elected to office here in the village. The demographics, too, have changed – age, class as well as race play a part in how now there are proportionally more wealthy and poor, old and young, white and black residents on both extremes, but much fewer middle-class people in between. We’ve made progress; we have a long ways to go.”
Shortly after our interview, I ran into Chief Tanksley in the parking lot who said, “Sandra Sokol is an outstanding public servant. We’re really going to miss her.”
Stan West, an Oak Parker for 16 years, is a former foreign correspondent for Pacific News Service. He is an author, educator, filmmaker and human rights activist. But his favorite job, he says, is being a parent.