Momence mother-daughter duo get involved in local government

MOMENCE – Hearing the way they make each other laugh, Natalie Ojeda and Lizbeth Varela could be mistaken for best friends, but the mother-daughter bond they share is undeniable.

The love and support between the two women has been key for the duo getting involved in local government.

They hope to inspire others to do the same.

In April, Ojeda was elected to her second term on the Momence Park District Board of Commissioners, while her daughter, Varela, a 2021 Momence High School graduate, was elected to her first term on the Momence School Board.

Ojeda, the daughter of Mexican immigrants and youngest of three siblings, has two children: Lizbeth, 22, and Jovanni, 18.

Growing up in Momence, the annual Gladiolus Festival was a staple of Ojeda’s upbringing and was what initially connected her to the city’s parks.

She’s also gotten involved in the community through Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe’s office.

It was Rowe who first told her about a vacancy on the Momence Park Board and asked if she would be interested in serving.

Ojeda gave it some thought, put her name on the ballot and was elected.

She also had encouragement from her daughter.

Varela attended the May 2021 meeting when her mom was sworn in for her first term on the park board. When the officer positions were being selected, Varela shouted out that her mom was interested in being vice president.

Though she couldn’t help but laugh, as it was her first day on the board and she hadn’t thought about taking on any additional roles, Ojeda agreed and became vice president.

She now serves as the park board’s president.

Rowe offered congratulations to Varela after she was sworn in as a school board member in April.

“Remember, leadership is not about age, but about vision, courage, and the heart to serve,” Rowe said in a Facebook post. “Tonight, you begin a journey that will shape futures – and your voice will make a difference.”

Rowe said he believes the women may be the first mother-daughter team elected in Kankakee County during the same election cycle.

Like mother, like daughter

Varela, who is attending college to become an English teacher, said she’s always been outspoken and unafraid to use her voice.

“[Education] is definitely her thing,” Ojeda said of her daughter. “She has a passion for kids.”

Following in her mom’s footsteps, and with encouragement from Rowe, Varela decided to serve the community by running for the Momence School Board.

Varela also took inspiration from her mom’s cousin, Suzy Berrones, who serves on the Kankakee School Board.

Varela was on the Youth Advisory Board for Rowe’s office and was part of the Z Club with the Zonta International organization. She’s also helped organize events with Rowe’s office and has participated in political marches.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved somehow, someway when I was older,” Varela said. “I don’t like when people complain about things, and then they don’t do anything to push forward or get things done. So I think that was my thing this year. I’m trying new things, and I’m just not being quiet anymore.”

Varela said she took a while contemplating the decision. She ended up running as a write-in candidate, as she wasn’t sure she wanted to turn in the paperwork until hours before the deadline.

While she expected to get maybe 10 votes as a write-in candidate, she was excited to find out she had gathered more than 100 votes.

Varela’s first time getting elected to office was also her second time voting in an election due to her age.

Shaking hands with her former teachers during her first board meeting and being called “Ms. Varela” was also a novel experience.

Being the voice

To others who might be mulling getting involved in the political process, Varela suggested not hesitating as much as she did her first time around, so as to not miss any deadlines.

“That’s always been my thing – just do it,” she said.

Varela said she believes in the importance of increasing minority representation in local government.

That doesn’t mean it will be easy to be that person.

Growing up as a racial minority in a predominantly white community, she knows what it is like to feel like an outsider.

In the end, it helped her make the decision, knowing there were other “outsiders” who are unable to step up in the same way.

“If someone doesn’t start using their voice, there’s never going to be a change,” Varela said. “There’s a lot of people who I know would want to be on the school board, but they are undocumented, so they can’t.”

Family values

Being a voice for the Hispanic community – one of the fastest growing populations in Kankakee County – is also important to Ojeda.

“If you want to see change, you have to be the change,” Ojeda said. “If you want to be involved or see other people like yourself be involved, you have to start somewhere.”

Ojeda said that oftentimes people in the Hispanic community are fearful to speak up.

Many are first-generation children of immigrants who are too busy working to support their families to get involved in the political process.

She tearfully recalled the wisdom her father imparted to her, as well as to her own children.

He wanted his family to be more than what he was, to do more with their lives than simply working.

“We didn’t understand at that time,” she said. “What does that mean, ‘Don’t be like me,’ when we have such a good life?

“He taught us, ‘You guys need to have a voice. You need to speak up.’ ”

Ojeda previously worked with Clove Alliance. She also has helped to translate for Spanish-speaking clients in the courthouse when working with Rowe’s office.

Those experiences opened her eyes to the fact that people weren’t being heard.

“I think that’s what kind of sparked my interest in boards,” she said. “I saw in the community, there were boards where [Hispanics] weren’t represented at all.”

Mother-daughter bond

Ojeda’s two children still live with her at home.

“We live together, so we’re obviously together like all the time,” Ojeda said.

“Too much,” Varela added with a laugh.

Being around each other so much, the mother and daughter often say the same thing at the same time.

In public, they are sometimes mistaken for sisters, to which Varela is likely to respond with an eye roll.

“She hates when people say that,” Ojeda said.

But it’s not just because of Ojeda’s youthful appearance.

They both refer to Ojeda’s mom as “Mom.” They can also be heard bickering back and forth like siblings.

Varela has been known to come home from her overnight work shift with a boisterous “Good morning!” while Ojeda is just getting ready to start her day.

Though they can get on each other’s nerves, the love is always there.

“I’m gonna live with her my whole life,” Varela joked.