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Former Aldermanic Candidate Named New Pilsen Alliance Director

By Stephanie Lulay | December 11, 2015 6:54am
 Former aldermanic candidate Byron Sigcho has been named as interim executive director of Pilsen Alliance.
Former aldermanic candidate Byron Sigcho has been named as interim executive director of Pilsen Alliance.
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DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay

PILSEN — Social justice group Pilsen Alliance named Byron Sigcho as the group's new interim executive director this week.

Sigcho, a former aldermanic candidate and lead instructor at UIC's Center for Literacy, was named to the post by the group's board after former executive director Nelson Soza stepped down. Soza, a native of Chile, is moving back there permanently to take a new job in January, Sigcho said Thursday.

Sigcho, a Pilsen resident who immigrated to the United States from Ecuador, will serve as interim executive director for a six-month period. During that time, the alliance board will conduct a search for a new permanent candidate. Upon accepting the new position, Sigcho stepped down from his board post at the agency.

 Nelson Soza, former executive director of the Pilsen Alliance, left the organization to take a job in Chile.
Nelson Soza, former executive director of the Pilsen Alliance, left the organization to take a job in Chile.
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DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay

If a better executive director candidate is not identified, Sigcho said he would consider taking the post permanently.

"If there's not a better candidate, I think [the position] would give me a great opportunity to grow professionally as an organizer and to serve the community," Sigcho said.

As a group that frequently clashes with longtime Ald. Danny Solis (25th), Pilsen Alliance is serving the neighborhood at a "critical point" in time, he said. Some other organizations in Pilsen receive government funding that "compromises their ability to take an independent position" on issues, he said.

"We're the only opposition to the status quo. We're the only organization [in Pilsen] who is going to develop an alternative plan to what is happening, the only organization that is developing a vocal opposition and is not afraid to disagree with the alderman and the mayor," Sigcho said. 

Sigcho was one of four challengers who squared off against incumbent Solis in the February primary election. Solis held onto his seat with 50.95 percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff election, and Sigcho was his closest challenger with 18.6 percent of the vote.

During the election, Solis and Sigcho disagreed about gentrification in the ward and future plans for a metal shredder in Pilsen, among other issues.

Soza was hired as executive director of the organization in 2010, Sigcho said. Before Soza, Alejandra Ibanez served as executive director of Pilsen Alliance from 2003 until Aug. 2010. Ibanez now serves as lead program officer at the Woods Fund Chicago.

Besides the full-time executive director, Pilsen Alliance is staffed by an part-time accountant and volunteers.

Pilsen Alliance is funded by the Woods Fund Chicago, the Chicago Teachers Union, the Ben and Jerry's Foundation and other donors, according to the group's website.

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