about belia Rodriguez
Working for Rogers Park since 2016
Belia is a first generation Mexican American. Her parents met in Chicago and were married soon after. She’s lives in Chicago her whole life.
From the heart of Little Village
Belia’s parents bought a 3 flat in Little Village when she was 4 years old. Her father wanted a place where his siblings could land as he sponsored one after another so they could build a better life in Chicago.
Chicago Public Schools
Belia learned English when she got to kindergarten. She was a CPS student from K-12 grades. She has fond memories of her school years and her teachers. Many of them made an impact in her life and she still thinks about them.
2009
Becomes an entrepreneur
Belia left a corporate career, taught herself IT, to help under served organizations. Her mission is still to service mission-driven organizations like non profits, small businesses, and single campus independent charters schools, strictly in the city of Chicago.
2016
Begins Volunteering at Rogers Park Business Alliance
After the 2016 election, Belia decided to change the world through small efforts, right in her community. Destiny brought invitations to her door and she joined the board of directors at the Rogers Park Business Alliance.
2017
Volunteers for Vision Clark
Belia was one of the votes to invest in the Vision Clark plan. Her mission from the beginning has been to fight gentrification by strengthening the existing immigrant-owned businesses on Clark Street.
2022
Runs for City Council
Seeing the possibility of only one name on the ballot, Belia made the painful decision to leave her RPBA family and announce a run for city council in order to give her neighbors a choice on the ballot on February 29, 2023.
English
Afrikaans
Arabic
Bosnian
Chinese (Simplified)
Croatian
Dutch
Filipino
French
German
Greek
Hebrew
Hindi
Italian
Khmer
Korean
Nepali
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Russian
Serbian
Somali
Spanish
Sundanese
Thai
Vietnamese
Yiddish