Jaquie Algee, Board President & Founding Member

Jaquie Algee has an indomitable spirit and boundless energy, and WMC is exceptionally proud to have her at the helm of our leadership team. Jaquie is well known across Chicagoland as a longstanding champion of progressive causes and a leader of community and national initiatives.

In her "day job," Jaquie serves as Vice President/Director of External Relations for SEIU HCIIMK, the fastest-growing union of healthcare, child care, home care and nursing home workers in the Midwest.

"I direct activities that support and foster positive relations and collaboration with faith leaders, congregations, community organizations, residents, elected officials and key stakeholders in support of SEIU HCIIMK, worker rights, and a variety of shared community interests and issues," Jaquie says.

Jaquie is also a longtime civil rights activist. "As a direct descendant of a family that was heavily involved in the civil rights movement, I learned from my ancestors how to put people and purpose over self," Jaquie says. "I have dedicated my life to protecting the rights of others."

In doing so, Jaquie has helped organize a multitude of marches, protests and rallies for workers' rights, civil rights, women's rights and more in Illinois and around the country. For example, she co-chaired the Illinois Women’s March on Springfield that brought thousands to the Capitol in the spring of 2017 in support of the Equal Rights Amendment and justice for all women. 

Historically, Jaquie has also been at the forefront of several critical social movements, beginning with the gun violence prevention movement. When her only child, Kenneth, was shot and killed in 1995, Jaquie put "purpose over pain" and dedicated herself to "stopping senseless gun violence." She became a regional director of the Million Mom March, which was held on Mother's Day, May 14, 2000 in Washington, D.C. and other sister cities. With more than one million people participating across the nation, the march was the largest anti-gun violence rally to date.

Following the 2016 presidential election, Jaquie became one of the founding organizers of WMC. She has helped oversee phenomenally successful Chicago women's marches in January 2017 and 2018, as well as WMC's March to the Polls in October 2018. Earlier this year, she was named board president and will lead WMC as we move into the critically important 2020 election cycle. Jaquie also serves as board president for the national March On women’s movement, which helps guide and support affiliate march organizations in the United States and elsewhere.

“Marching has proven to be a driving force for justice throughout generations," Jaquie says. "When we march, people get active and energized to make things happen. Be the change you want to see by marching on to victory!”