CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- There were some stinging comments from the first black mayor of Kankakee Monday night as the Democrat offered reflections on her four years in office.
At the start of her 19 minute reflection, Kankakee Mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong announced she was going to “keep it real”. She did.
"The last four years have felt like I have been in an abusive relationship with part of my own community," she said.
Mayor Wells-Armstrong said her detractors used social media and the local newspaper to attack her. She said many in Kankakee do not understand black people, especially black women.
"Black women should not be defined by societal stereotypes as angry and difficult and more. We are loving, talented, compassionate, fun and smart," she said.
Wells-Armstrong accused some leaders of the community, the city council and city workers with attempting to destroy her.
"For four years, they orchestrated a campaign of lies, character assassination, planted seeds of doubt, and engaged in obstruction on the city council," she said.
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Kankakee Mayor Chastity Wells-Armstrong said now, though, little brown girls and boys and children from low-income families know they, too, can become mayor.
"There are many broken people in this community. When people who have been conditioned not to trust their own people, not to value themselves and not to believe there’s hope and a better way, they lose the opportunity to make a difference," Wells-Armstrong said.
Wells-Armstrong saif she "gave my heart and soul to this community, my hometown, so I have no regrets.
"I hope our city will come together and focus on moving Kankakee forward. I hope the leaders in the community will no longer tolerate and condone, with their silence, the hateful rhetoric, the lies and the divisive tactics, because they are concerned about their own political careers, remaining comfortable with their way of life and protecting their privilege."
The mayor said Kankakee is better, because of her administration’s vision, including ideas for improving the riverfront and helping to bring more than $14 million in COVID rescue money to Kankakee.
At the end of her reflections, most people in the City Council chamber gave Wells-Armstrong a standing ovation before she played over the speakers the song, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
Republican realtor Chris Curtis becomes mayor in two weeks. Curtis beat Wells-Armstrong by 600 votes out of 4,102 votes cast or 57 percent-43 percent.