Omar Aquino represents Illinois’ 2nd Senate District and is one of the youngest members to serve in the
Illinois General Assembly. As a lifelong resident of Chicago’s Northwest Side and of Puerto Rican
heritage, Senator Aquino was inspired by his parents – both public workers and community leaders – to
pursue a life of service.

He holds degrees in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Loyola University Chicago, where he led several
initiatives focused on equity and co-founded the Empowerment Pipeline, an afterschool mentorship
program designed to combat the school to prison pipeline. He began his career as a bilingual case
manager serving low-income seniors under the Community Care Program, which fueled his passion for
public policy and advocacy.

Before joining the Senate in 2016, he served as a legislative assistant in the Illinois House and as
outreach coordinator for Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. Today, Senator Aquino champions
policies that support working families, strengthen public services and elevate underserved communities
across Illinois.