Cyndy Olivares

Cyndy Olivares is a community organizer in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. She is the  daughter of Mexican Immigrants from Durango, but born and raised in the heart of Chicago.

Her passion for improving her community, family and neighborhood started during troublesome times in her neighborhood, most notably under a string of robberies and violent attacks on her own block. She decided to take action and began attending CPD meetings, PTA meetings in Spanish, and was introduced to the Northwest Side Housing Center. She began her non-profit work as a community investment coordinator at Chicago Cares and later transitioned out to the Northwest Side Housing Center where she lead the COVID Vaccine Equity work for Chicago’s Protect Chicago in September of 2020. Cindy had been working closely with the 36th Ward Office and the Chicago Department of Public Health to create the Bricktown Center’s weekly vaccine clinic in July 2021. The partnership was able to have more that 80 percent of Belmont Cragin vaccinated by August of 2021. Since September 2021, Cindy has led the HRSA’s federal vaccine initiative in five Chicago communities including Albany Park, Humboldt Park, Little Village, Chatham and South Chicago, but also extending to its neighboring communities.

Cindy is deeply committed to bringing community-centered solutions that work for residents. She is a lifelong learner, and recently completed Chicago’s first ever Data Academy in June of 2022. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three small children, going to the park, enjoying live music and volunteering regularly in her community.