After being a lawyer for 20 years, Ricardo Lugo has decided the next step to helping the community he grew up in is by becoming a judge. Lugo, who is running for 6th sub circuit judge in this year’s primaries, met with EXTRA to talk about why he believes he can make a difference in the courtroom and the community he serves.

Why have you decided to run for the 6th sub circuit judge position in this year’s primaries?

When I was young I got picked up by cops. I was with my friends. We had just finished playing ball and police officers picked us up for a lineup. It wasn’t until later that I realized the woman could have picked me. I mean accidentally. I could have been one of those innocent people in prison.

In my 20 year experience as a lawyer I have learned a lot about community issues. Growing up in Cabrini-Green and Humboldt Park, I’ve seen a lot of injustices in my lifetime. That’s why I became a lawyer. As a public defender I was able to represent some of the people similar to those I grew up with.

It goes back to growing up. When I was in college I was a part of the Catholic Ministry and we used to volunteer at the juvenile detention center. We would go every other week to visit them. It was partly religion but also [included] counseling and helping these kids. I was the only Latino in this group so I kind of took the lead because I was not afraid.

Why the “People’s Choice”?

The reason I consider myself the “People’s Choice” is because I don’t have any politician backing me. They can help you win but then ...