La Shawn K. Ford was born to a teenage mother in challenging circumstances in the Cabrini-Green housing projects of Chicago. Adopted by his grandmother, Ford’s family later moved to the West Side’s Austin community, where they instilled in him the importance of hard work and education. After facing numerous challenges, including a house fire, he developed a strong work ethic, earning money from shoveling snow, mowing lawns, collecting bottles and cans for recycling, and stocking produce in the local community grocery store.

Ford’s education started at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Elementary School and continued at Weber High School, where he excelled academically. He was the first in his family to attend college, enrolling at Niles College Seminary before transferring to Loyola University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education. Ford taught social studies to 6^th and 7^th graders for six years and has worked as a licensed real estate broker since 2001, when he founded Ford Desired Real Estate.

After defeating a long-time incumbent in 2006, Ford was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives to represent the 8^th District and has served for the last 19 years in influential positions including Chair of the Higher Education – Appropriations Committee and Chair of the House Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development Committee. Through work with his constituents in Town Hall meetings, radio call-in shows, and group meetings, Ford has introduced and passed more than 117 bills into law, covering a wide range of issues including: supporting child care; lowering the compulsory school age to 6 years, from 7; improving access to HIV screening, health care, and healthy foods; expanding job opportunities including sealing records of ex-offenders; promoting small businesses; and increasing affordable housing. Ford co-founded the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force which has played a role in decreasing the number of overdoses on the West Side. Ford has also secured funding for parks, libraries, schools and agencies, leading to an improved quality of life for his constituents.

His work has earned him many awards, including the AIDS Foundation of Chicago Innovation Award; the West Side Health Authority Nelson Mandela Award for Justice; the Illinois Housing Development Affordable Housing Champion Award; and the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation Black Learner Excellence Civic Leader Award.

Ford lives in and remains active in the Austin community, where he proudly co-parents his daughter, Tia, and stays committed to improving the lives of those in his district through advocacy and service.