As the son of a Christian Italian-Greek and a Muslim Palestinian refugee, Jousef Shkoukani’s eclectic upbringing shaped him to the stalwart community champion he is today.

“I come from a hard working immigrant family that never let me forget where I came from—or who I came from,” he shared. “I grew up with a deep love for this country, and just as deep a love for my father’s homeland. That duality shaped my worldview. It made me understand that leadership means responsibility—not just to ourselves, but to those whose voices are often pushed to the margins.”

In 2024, Jousef participated in New American Leaders’ 2024 Ready to Lead Midwest training. Over that weekend, he gained valuable insights on crafting a rousing stump speech and also learned the power of his own story. 

He said, “More than that, NAL taught me that I have what it takes to lead and make a difference right now. Our communities need us—all of us—to step up. That shift in mindset changed everything for me. I stopped waiting and started acting.”

Later that year, Jousef ran in Chicago’s first-ever school board election, a politically charged, historic race shaped by a last-minute change in the law and a hybrid voting structure. Though he lost his race, Jousef earned 1,063 votes as a write-in candidate.

“That result showed how many families are ready for leadership that listens to everyone involved in our schools, not just those with the loudest voices or the most leverage,” he explained. “This campaign was about representing the full spectrum of stakeholders—parents, educators, principals, and most of all, students. No single group should dominate the conversation, especially when the stakes are our children’s futures.” 

Despite his defeat, Jousef remains undaunted and is looking ahead to 2026. He aims to partner with the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association to ensure more democratic decision making processes in local education.