Kim Foxx

Kim Foxx

Kim Foxx is an accomplished leader, prosecutor and advocate for children and families in Cook County. She is running to become Cook County State’s Attorney to continue that work, and to restore public faith in a criminal justice system that has failed so many families. Born to a teenage mother who struggled to make ends meet, and raised on Chicago’s Near North Side by her mother and grandmother, Kim’s life experience has given her a deep understanding of the impact of crime, violence and poverty on our communities. That consciousness fueled her to pursue a career in public service as she sought to improve life in communities like the one in which she was raised. Kim spent her early childhood growing up in the Cabrini Green public housing complex. Attending Lincoln Park High School, Kim often felt the weight of her poverty in relation to other kids. Pushing herself to take honors classes, even when she was living at a homeless shelter with her mother, Kim never gave up. Through perseverance and hard work, Kim excelled in school, and earned both her B.A. and law degree from Southern Illinois University. She became a guardian ad litem with the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office, managing a caseload of more than 150 children navigating the justice system, many of whom had been abused, neglected, or had special needs. Kim then became an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County, where she served for 12 years. Kim rose through the ranks, supervising dozens of Assistant State’s Attorneys in felony juvenile courtrooms. As a front line prosecutor and supervisor, she managed a prosecution docket of more than 5,000 criminal cases. She conducted and supervised jury trials in felony trial and juvenile courts, including everything from first degree murder to criminal sexual assault and vehicular hijacking cases. Kim also became president of the National Black Prosecutors Association Chicago chapter during that time. Most recently, Kim served as Chief of Staff for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. As advisor and lead strategist to the President of the nation’s second largest county, Kim oversaw a $4 billion annual budget and counseled President Preckwinkle on issues ranging from finances to public safety and juvenile detention. In the Preckwinkle Administration, Kim was the lead architect of the criminal justice reform agenda--addressing racial disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Those efforts resulted in a significant drop in the Cook County jail population while maintaining public safety. Kim’s experiences have made her an effective advocate for our communities, and she is a hands-on leader for a number of vital organizations. She has served as Planned Parenthood of Illinois Board Chair and Board President for Free Spirit Media, a non-profit that partners with schools and organizations to provide education, access, and opportunity in media production to underserved urban youth. Kim is also the proud mother of two elementary-aged daughters, Kendall and Kai, with her husband of 14 years, Kelley Foxx.