I first started thinking about the possibilities of third party candidates when Ross Perot ran for President in 1992. My boss at the time viewed Mr. Perot with such high esteem and the poor condition that our country was in at that time with such emotive concern, that he felt if Ross Perot wasn’t elected, our country would be in big trouble. Since then the Democratic Party has gone further to the right and the Republican Party has begun to embrace fascism.

Democracy Chronicles
By Jack Jones
December 15, 2025

So I started to look at the Green Party and many of my heroes are already supporters of them, especially Chris Hedges, whom I regard as my favorite journalist/author. The time I’ve spent talking with them and listening to their devotion and plans for the betterment of our country has left me impressed and wanting to join alongside them. I’ve decided to interview two of their shining lights, Griselda Romero, who is running for Governor in Illinois and Eyde Arndell who is running as Lieutenant Governor. I hope you will give them a listen with your minds and contemplate the possibilities of Green Party candidates’ contributions to our country.

Here is my interview with the Green Party’s Candidate for Illinois Governor Griselda Romero. I hope you enjoy.

What was your upbringing like?

I grew up learning how to survive in two cultures. My parents were immigrants who migrated here in their twenties, and both had to learn English as best they could. Growing up meant I had to grow up fast and master two languages to support my parents where language barriers existed. I had to support them in ways most children are not expected to, but in my household, as a first Latina daughter, it was the norm.

We grew up working poor, and my mother instilled empathy and kindness, while my father taught me independence—largely due to unmet emotional needs. I grew up with a mother who strove to make sure our needs were met, even if that meant not having the best of things or missing out at times. Through my mother, I learned gratitude and humility because we were not in a financial class that allowed easy access to resources others had.

Growing up meant learning how to improvise, be creative, and make things work to survive. My father loved music and dancing, and so did I, although I was quite private about my interests. My mother instilled in me the importance of education and my independence as a woman. Despite how I was raised, her pain became my lessons—wisdom gained by a child who had to grow up too fast.

Who are your heroes?

I don’t have heroes in the traditional sense but rather figures I look up to who are unconventional and often unpopular in the grand scheme of things. The individuals I list speak greatly to my belief system and the principles I hold close to my heart.

Captain Planet inspired my environmental awareness, while Mother Teresa and Gandhi taught me compassion and service to others—values that deeply resonated with me as a child. Malcolm X inspired me through the way he spoke fearlessly and with conviction, always speaking truth from the heart. Celia Cruz, an Afro-Latina Cuban singer, inspired me with her authenticity and unapologetic love for her culture and her Black joy. That pride was beautiful and magical to witness, and she carried it with a great big smile.

Ruby Bridges is definitively a hero to me. As the first African American child to attend an all-white school in Louisiana, her courage left a lasting impression on me. I remember watching her story when I was young and imagining what it must have felt like to be in her shoes. It’s 2025, and it still feels like a daily battle simply to exist as a Black-Latina. While things have changed, it remains a struggle many who look like me continue to face. Her bravery—fearless and steadfast at such a young age—remains powerful.

How much harder is it for a Green Party candidate to get on the ballot?

It is designed to be harder because of the gatekeeping built into the system we are told is a democracy. In reality, we do not have a true democracy, and it is time to speak the truth about that. The state office position I am running for requires a minimum of 25,000 signatures—far higher than what Democrats and Republicans need. This makes it nearly impossible for smaller parties like the Green Party to compete, leaving many communities underrepresented.

It speaks to the perceived threat the Green Party poses to both established parties and to the false democracy they display and claim constituents have. Democrats offer a form of nonviolent oppression, while Republicans offer a more overtly violent one. Essentially, we are presented with two options that function as one system working to maintain power.

One approach is framed as a survival tactic disguised as strategy yet remains covertly harmful, while the other is fueled by hate, dominance, and violence. Both are harmful to the American people overall. The people deserve real options. This so-called two party system does not offer choices—it offers control.

What direction would you like to see our country and state go?

I would like to see our state and country move in a direction where constituents are able to thrive and live lives they can afford— not merely survive. A direction where resources are not only equitable but accessible, and where division is no longer the norm.

Everyone deserves a life of peace and fulfillment. That is not utopian or unrealistic. The real question is why those in office do not want that for the people they are meant to serve. We can change things for the betterment of all, but that requires new leadership—leadership that values true equity and prioritizes the overall well-being of constituents without having its integrity compromised by lobbyists, major corporations, or concentrated wealth.

I would like to see a future where people are guided toward living the lives we were meant to live as humans. Greed and selfishness have allowed both Democrats and Republicans to forget our humanity and instead see people as labor and dollar signs.

What issue right now is most concerning to you?

The issues most concerning to me right now are access to healthcare, access to food, homelessness, fiscal responsibility, and immigration reform—essentially, the foundations of basic human rights.

What would you like to say to the people of Illinois?

Illinoisans deserve leadership that walks alongside its constituents and invests in their overall well-being and safety. You deserve community, safe environments, and quality resources. I hope Illinoisans recognize what they are worth and understand that they deserve better.

No human being is better than another. That idea is a tactic meant to divide us and to demonize one another’s existence. Illinoisans deserve a leader who holds love deeply, who prioritizes safety, and who builds community through service to one another.

I urge Illinoisans to unite as a people, to stand up to the lack of integrity and accountability within our government, and to stand up for humanity. Illinois has a long history marked by corruption—it is time for that to end. Stand with me and support me in ensuring that Illinois is not for the few, the wealthy, or select regions, but for all.