Early Life

Byron first came to the United States alone as a teenager, settling in Tennessee and then moving to the Chicago area and Pilsen over 10 years ago. He was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador and came to the US following political instability in the country, and a tragic car accident that left his mother in a coma. Emergency services were nearly non-existent during this period, and his family’s lives were saved by passing motorists who stopped, rescued his family from the wreckage, and drove them to the hospital. When his mother awoke from the coma, she insisted her eldest leave the country for his last year of high school. When Byron arrived in Tennessee at the age of 17, he knew no one in the country and did not speak English. He was taken in by a generous family who gave him a home and helped him pursue an education. 

Byron first visited Chicago with his Tennessee family who had loved ones in the Chicago area. During this first trip, they brought Byron to Pilsen to have dinner at the Nuevo Leon restaurant. After graduating high school in Tennessee, Byron was able to attend college on a soccer scholarship after receiving an honorable mention for the All-State Tennessee Soccer Team in high school. Byron graduated from Cumberland University with his Bachelors in Mathematics and Business Administration. He was also awarded the prestigious President’s Award for his exceptional academic performance, and many contributions and successes in the school community during his time there. After graduation, Byron returned to Chicago and eventually settled in Pilsen to start his life. 

Setting in Chicago

Byron became an adult education teacher at the University of Illinois at Chicago and founded the UIC Center for Literacy’s Spanish literacy program, making the GED program at UIC much more widely accessible to Spanish speaking immigrants and residents. Seeing the need for wrap-around services, Byron also brought a case worker into the program to ensure his students’ families received resources and needed services. In addition to Byron’s work as a teacher, he also volunteered as a youth soccer coach at Pilsen Academy. Byron earned a Master’s Degree in Economics from UIC while also working as a lead researcher. He began collaborating alongside the Chicago Teachers Union in investigating the financial relationships between charter school networks like UNO, school funding, and Chicago’s political elite, and organized with parents and teachers like Karen Lewis to fight for fully funded public schools. 

After Rahm Emanuel announced that he would be closing a hundred thirty Chicago Public Schools, Byron became involved in the Pilsen Alliance where he organized with the community to push to keep the schools open. Byron eventually served as the Director of Pilsen Alliance where he became a leader and an activist in the fight against gentrification, displacement, and corruption.

Running for Office

In 2019, Byron ran a grassroots campaign for Alderman of the 25th Ward after coming in the second against the later disgraced Alderman Danny Solis in the 2015 municipal elections.  He committed to refuse political contributions from developers and big corporations - a commitment he has upheld to this day and beyond. Since taking office, any resident now can personally meet with Byron at his weekly Ward Night, and all residents can receive compassion, support, and city services from the devoted public servants who staff the 25th Ward office. 

Byron, and his wife Loreen, live in Pilsen with their three children and their three dogs.