Ilya Sheyman (D-IL-10)

Ilya Sheyman Congressional Candidate Illinois District 10

Biography of Ilya Sheyman from Sheyman for Congress

Ilya’s Story

A first-generation immigrant to America, Ilya first arrived in Illinois with his family over two decades ago as a Jewish refugee from the former Soviet Union. His quintessentially American story was only possible due to his family’s commitment to hard work and the support of the community and government.

A product of quality public schools in Skokie, Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire, Ilya’s first job was at the local Jewel-Osco in Buffalo Grove, where he became a proud member of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW 881).

A community organizer currently living in Waukegan, Ilya graduated from McGill University with a joint degree in Political Science and United States History, and an even stronger commitment to working for the improvement of the lives of everyday Americans.

A commitment to the community

Ilya’s passion for public service led him to work for then Senator Barack Obama. In his role in Constituent Services he helped Illinoisans with questions about Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and Military Affairs navigate the bureaucracy of the federal government.
Ilya organized to improve public education across the 10th Congressional District by bringing together students, educators, organized labor, faith groups, and local citizens in a fight to fix a broken education funding system that leaves far too many students behind.
A long-time volunteer with the Tenth Congressional District Democrats, Ilya helped organize the Township Outreach Committee, bringing the 12 township Democratic committees together to become stronger and more effective.
A founding member of the Community Connection Center in downtown Waukegan, Ilya helps the Center connect citizens with the governmental and social services needed to improve their lives.

A track record fighting for progressive values

Ilya’s work at Democracy for America between 2006-08 helped elect progressives at all levels of government and helped Democrats regain control of the United States House of Representatives for the first time in 12 years.
As the national Mobilization Director at MoveOn.org, Ilya worked with progressives across the country to support efforts to pass health care reform with a public health insurance option. Despite the unsuccessful fight for a public option and the ongoing need for real health security, his work helped realize the passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act that made quality, affordable health care accessible to over 30 million Americans, and ended the worst abuses of the health insurance industry.

Ilya co-founded ‘Patriots for Peace,’ an effort to educate and mobilize high school students in opposition to the Iraq war. When it wasn’t popular to oppose the Bush administration, Ilya had the judgment and courage to stand up and make students’ voices heard.
In the last election, Ilya led an election mobilization effort that organized over 1,500 house parties and recruited thousands of volunteers for progressive Democratic candidates nationwide.