My name is Joshua Travis and I am running for Park Forest Village Trustee...

Josh Travis
Jan 24, 2021
2 min read

My name is Joshua Travis and I am a lifelong Park Forest resident running for Village Trustee because I want to see more for my hometown. I grew up and currently live on Sangamon street. In 2010, I became a proud Rich East alum. I graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Anthropology and minors in Biological Sciences and Criminal Justice Sciences. In 2018, I graduated from DePaul University with a Masters in Nonprofit Management. I am in my second year as a doctoral student studying Interdisciplinary Leadership at Governors State University and serve as the Executive Director for a nonprofit in Chicago.

I first got involved with village leadership by joining the Youth Commission to advocate for community resources and education in the village. Since returning from school, I have jumped on opportunities to volunteer with village departments and support more families having access to resources. In my youth, I relied on village services to make sure I was prepared for the world. Now I am stepping up to make sure the next generation has a fair chance, just as I did.

I want to build on the success of the past, as the village creates new ways of bringing in and retaining residents and generating income from our enterprise zones. We face new and old challenges as our state and county continues to see depopulation and growing tax burdens that make it difficult for the village to meet its needs. As a Trustee, my number one priority is to see Park Forest invest in Park Foresters. Through smart investments and pushing for innovative business practices, Park Forest can once again be the special place where people go to live, grow, and discover.

Joshua Travis, MNM