▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Te ach ers ▁Union , ▁local ▁ 1 ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Federation ▁of ▁Te ach ers . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁King ▁College ▁P rep ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁Lane ▁Techn ical ▁High ▁School ▁chem istry ▁teacher , ▁her ▁occupation ▁for ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁before ▁becoming ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁teachers ▁union . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Lewis ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Chicago ▁to ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁teachers . ▁She ▁attended ▁Ken wood ▁High ▁School ▁( now ▁Ken wood ▁Academy ), ▁leaving ▁after ▁her ▁junior ▁year ▁to ▁attend ▁Mount ▁Holy oke ▁College . ▁She ▁transferred ▁to ▁D art mouth ▁College ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁African ▁American ▁woman ▁in ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁gradu ating ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁soci ology ▁and ▁music . ▁Lewis ▁then ▁earned ▁her ▁Master ’ s ▁D eg ree ▁in ▁Inner ▁City ▁Studies ▁from ▁N ort he astern ▁Illinois ▁University . ▁ ▁Career ▁Lewis ▁was ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Te ach ers ▁Union . ▁She ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁union ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Lewis , ▁running ▁with ▁the ▁C au cus ▁of ▁Rank ▁and ▁File ▁Edu c ators ▁( CO RE ), ▁gained ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁CT U ▁by ▁winning ▁ 6 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁a ▁run - off ▁election . ▁CO RE ▁ran ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁grass ro ots ▁organ izing ▁campaign , ▁and ▁took ▁a ▁strong ▁st