DU Alum and Adjunct Professor Introduces President Obama at Democracy Forum

Berto Aguayo ’16, an attorney and an adjunct professor at Dominican University's Chicago Campus, introduced President Barack Obama during the Obama Foundation’s Democracy Forum on Dec. 5.

The focus of the third annual forum was pluralism, and it included conversations about how people can make meaningful connections and find common ground to drive action during polarizing times.

Aguayo gave a short speech about his personal journey and his founding of Increase the Peace Chicago, an organization providing leadership development, community organizing, and advocacy for solutions to the root causes of violence. He noted that when he first met Obama six years ago, the former president “encouraged me to keep building community,” and ultimately was Aguayo’s inspiration to pursue a law degree.

Aguayo called it the “honor of a lifetime” to introduce Obama to the stage, while the president had words of admiration of his own. 

“I’m very proud of that young man,” Obama told the crowd. “Thank you for everything you are doing, Berto, to bring people on the South Side of Chicago together.”