
Episode #33
Anna Valencia and Paola Meinzer on Faith, Focus, and Local Power
<p>A statewide loss could have ended a public career. Instead, it clarified one. In 2022, after years of momentum and marquee endorsements, Anna ran for Illinois Secretary of State—and lost. “When you fail publicly, that can really set you back,” she says. “I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to face the people who believed in me.” What came next was not retreat, but reset.</p><p>Who is Anna? Chicago’s City Clerk since 2017, elected to full terms in 2019 and 2023. She oversees an office that serves 1.2 million people and moves major revenue for the city. Before Clerk, she helped pass po...






