Mayor Jada D. Curry, serving her first term as Mayor of the Village of Lynwood, made history after winning the February 23, 2021, primary, becoming the first African American woman elected to hold the office of Village President (Mayor). Since her election, she has hit the ground running on her platform of Trust, Transparency, and Transformation, working to make a difference in her community, the South Suburbs, and the broader Chicagoland region.
Mayor Curry earned an Associate of Arts in History from South Suburban College and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Studies with a History focus and a Master of Arts in Multi-Categorical Special Education from Governors State University. Before her historic win as Mayor, she had a long history of public service and community engagement, including serving as a Trustee for the Village of Lynwood and a six-year tenure on the Board of Education for Sunnybrook School District 171, where she held the position of Board President for her final two years. Additionally, she has served as President of the YWCA Early Head Start Advisory Board and is an active member of Living Grace Church in Lynwood, IL, where she sits on the Board of Trustees.
Since becoming Mayor, she has also stepped into additional national and regional leadership roles. She currently serves as the Director At-Large for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) and as Vice President of the Illinois Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (IBC-LEO). She is also Vice President of the Southland Mayoral Black Caucus and serves on the executive board of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA), where she chairs the Environmental Justice Committee.
Mayor Curry considers her role as a public servant a tremendous honor, but perhaps her most cherished titles are those of wife and mother. Married to a retired law enforcement officer, she takes pride in being a police wife and is the proud mother of a daughter and son.
In her short time in office, Mayor Curry has already overseen new economic development projects in the village, paid off a significant portion of municipal debt, and completed the largest road project in Lynwood’s history. Under her leadership, 2024 saw the opening of several new businesses, including Dunkin’ Donuts, a car wash, two event spaces, a green cemetery, and a cannabis dispensary, with more developments on the horizon. She is proud and excited for this “year of manifestation” and looks forward to fostering further investments to enhance Lynwood and contribute to the prosperity of the entire region.
Read about all of this years awardees
Genesis Bencivenga Sr. | Innovative Women-Owned Business of the Year
Turquoise Greene | Mentorship Excellence Award
Audrey Lee Saunders | Trailblazer Award for Women in Leadership
Nakisha Hobbs | Empowerment Through Education Award
Mayor Jada D. Curry, Village of Lynwood | Community Impact Award