Opinion: Co-governance is a path to equity inChicago

The following opinion was published in The Triibe on December 15, 2025.

Authors: Rachel Pate, Candace Williams, Christina Cordova-Herrera, Lyric Griffin and

Cynthia Avila

In Chicago, the relationship between community members and their local government is often strained by challenges such as a lack of coordination among city departments, perceived ineffectiveness of services like 311, and insufficient authentic community engagement. Many community members feel their local alderpersons are unresponsive, leading to a breakdown of trust and hindering positive change. These challenges, highlighted through community conversations hosted by Chicago United for Equity (CUE), the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ), and the Co-Governance Steering Committee, stem from community members’ diverse experiences across neighborhoods, demographic variations, and differing levels of familiarity with city systems.

Co-governance has emerged as a vital solution to these challenges. The partnership between CUE and OERJ represents a significant step toward redefining how our communities engage with local government and vice versa. This collaboration aims to establish a definition and framework for co-governance in Chicago, emphasizing power sharing and shared decision-making, ensuring that those most impacted by government decisions are centered.

The importance of co-governance

Co-governance is not just a buzzword; it represents a fundamental shift in local government interactions with constituents. Traditionally, governance has been top-down, often excluding historically marginalized communities from decision-making. Embracing co-governance in Chicago fosters an inclusive environment where community members actively shape the policies, programs, and practices that affect their lives. This approach also helps create policies that address the material conditions and needs of community members. In turn, community members gain a better understanding of how their local government operates and how to effectively participate in the decision-making process.

Building trust and relationships

When communities feel heard and valued, they’re more likely to influence decisions affecting their lives, thereby strengthening our democracy. This requires the government to engage equitably, shift power to communities, and transform policy to support those who need it most. These shifts build trust that real decision-making demands. This is why OERJ has been advocating for new engagement models and tools that move beyond compliance to reduce harm and co-create solutions with those most impacted by systemic inequities. OERJ’s foundational work is the seed of a larger vision embedded in the co-governance framework: a future where community assemblies flourish, outdated structures are dismantled, civic trust is restored, and a more equitable, responsive, and resilient city becomes possible.

Defining co-governance for Chicago

Launched in the fall of 2023, CUE and OERJ have approached defining co-governance for Chicago as if launching a new product. The ideation phase involved early conversations with local and national partners to examine their approaches, successes, values, and challenges related to co-governance.

In June 2024, nine Chicagoans from diverse backgrounds and walks of life were selected to form a steering committee. Steering committee members hosted 18 community conversations across the city, where over 200 community members shared their thoughts on what a co-governance definition and framework should include for Chicago. Many community members expressed that their previous experiences with local government had not been fruitful, yet they hoped that this time would be different. Indeed, the goal is for this time to be different.

A framework for action

CUE and OERJ are currently testing the co-governance definition and framework, which includes key values like transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, as a guide for city officials, departments, and community leaders, outlining how they can work together more effectively.

Key components of this framework include:

Shared Decision-Making: Structures for community member participation related to policy development and implementation.

Civic Education: Resources and training to empower community members to engage meaningfully in governance processes, alongside training for government members in authentic community engagement.

Community Collaboration Engagement: Regular communication channels to ensure ongoing dialogue between city officials and community members.

Proof of concept

Three pilot initiatives have been selected to test the co-governance definition and framework. These focus on Equitable Decarbonization, Reentry Services, and Urban Agriculture. Each pilot presents unique challenges that will impact their individual approaches. CUE and OERJ hope the framework will provide guidance on methods to address these challenges and ensure all parties are invested in their success.

The road ahead

It is critical to recognize that co-governance is not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment to equity and justice. In a time of growing mistrust in government and rampant misinformation, the success of this model will depend on the willingness of all parties to engage in honest conversations, confront systemic inequities, and work collaboratively toward shared goals. These co-governance efforts are especially crucial now, as the current federal government has taken steps back regarding human rights and safety, cornerstones of a more equitable society, where every voice matters and every community thrives.