MEET KIRBY

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Born on Chicago’s South Side, Kirby Birgans is eager and motivated to make a difference. Kirby became a strong proponent of the electoral process by helping to elect former President Barack Obama, and volunteering to elect other Democratic elected officials. He is also actively involved with his block club,  and volunteers with local community-based organizations to fight for justice against police brutality, to increase affordable housing, improve education, economic support for minority owned businesses, neighborhood beautification, and to increase hyper- local resources. 

During college, Kirby became an advocate for funding for Chicago State University. He was almost arrested for shutting down the Dan Ryan interstate highway to bring awareness to the state’s budget impasse. Kirby volunteered and donated on several progressive campaigns in local government. Kirby continues to volunteer with organizations that assist in bringing upward mobility to neighborhoods that have been silenced, forgotten, and divested.

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After graduating with a Bachelor's of Education in Science from Chicago State University, Kirby knew he wanted to make positive change. He wanted to make sure that our students were educated by a teacher that understood the challenges and obstacles that so many of our students experience daily. Today, he continues to motivate students to reach for the stars.

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During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kirby realized that the pandemic intensified many of the challenges that our communities face. He took swift action. He understood the requirement to assist his neighbors and residents of Chicago's South Side and worked with community based organizations and alone to assist. Kirby assisted seniors with getting medication. He worked with different organizations to distribute PPE and cleaned up looted stores.  He even provided instructional classes to seniors to improve their to use virtual tools. Additionally, he worked for the U.S Census Bureau to make sure that everyone was counted, and volunteered on the Biden/ Harris presidential campaign. After the presidential campaign, Kirby worked on flipping the U.S. Senate blue by making calls for the Warnock and Ossoff campaigns in Georgia.

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As Kirby travelled throughout the 6th Ward and Chicagoland, he found that the issues facing the people of Chicago are due to inequities perpetuated by policy. Kirby believes in an equitable society that does not leave anyone behind. Running for office was never the plan for Kirby, but as a teacher and activist, he understands that the issues that many of his students  and neighbors are experiencing go beyond the classroom. 

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Kirby is an active resident of Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.

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