Senator Ram Villivalam Contact information

Ram Villivalam is a dedicated public servant with deep roots in the Illinois 7th State Senate District. Born in Lincoln Square, he is the son of a single black mother and an Ethiopian refugee father. His mother, Ramona, was a small business owner who ran Salon Pastiche in Rogers Park for 25 years. His father, Mulugetta, also owned a small business, the Wild Hare bar in Lakeview, for 25 years.

Simmons’ family was one of the first Black families to integrate Lincoln Square after the U.S. Supreme Court mandated that public housing be built on Chicago’s Northside. His lived experiences and equity mindset have shaped his commitment to advocacy and public service. He is dedicated to amplifying the voices of seniors, refugees, the transgender community, people experiencing financial instability, single mothers, and other silenced voices in our democracy.

Simmons is a trailblazer in many ways. He is the first black person to serve the 7th District, the first openly gay member of the Illinois Senate, and the third openly gay, black state senator in the nation. He believes in opening doors for people who have historically been treated unjustly by the government.

Throughout his career, Simmons has delivered justice for his community. He secured funding for the Ceasefire violence interruption program in Uptown, worked with local organizers in Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park to pass affordable housing ordinances, and fought on behalf of English language learners and their families as a member of the Brennemann Elementary School Council from 2010 to 2016.

Simmons recently served as Deputy Director of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, an initiative of the Obama Foundation, a group seeking to break down the barriers to opportunity standing before boys and young men of color.

Simmons has been honored with awards such as Crain’s Chicago 40 under 40 award (2020), Craines Chicago Notable LGBTQ Executives (2019), Leadership Greater Chicago (2016), IMPACT Leadership Development Program (2016), Windy City Times 30 under 30 (2012), served on the Brennemann Elementary School Council from 2010-2014, Board Member of Equality Illinois (2010-2016), and a Co-Founder of the New Leaders Council Chicago.

In the 103rd General Assembly, Simmons serves as the Chair of the Human Rights Committee, Vice-Chair of the Behavioral and Mental Health Committee, and is a member of the Education Committee, Transportation Committee and the Appropriations - Health and Human Services Committee.