In a weak-mayor system, some municipal mayors get to oversee a police department. The first thing that I remember after being sworn in was being whisked away and handed two internal police investigations. I was curious, energized, ready to learn, and ready to lead. The mayor paid less than $100 a month, so my day…
Category: Millennial Mayor
Confessions of an Ex-Millennial Mayor
I imagine 18-year-old me, 28-year-old me, and the me today sitting at a bar. They’d all get along kee-keeing with one another. They’d converse about talking the crying customer out of the plane bathroom before take off, or telling the one man, “I’m as hot and chocolate as he was going to get,” because we…
On: Millennial Adaptability, Authenticity, and Publishing My 4th Book, Black Girl, Blue Skies
Just chasing authenticity and imperfection in a world full of perfectly curated artificial intelligence. You’ll never have it all figured out, and as soon as you figure that out, life doesn’t get easier, but it absolutely becomes less chaotic by far. Controlling everything like a game of The Sims 4 is impossible. If I weren’t…
The Failed Nippon/US Steel Deal Gives “Buddy I Hope You Find Your Dad” Vibes.
Finding out that one of the last things Biden chose to do while in office was to block the Nippon/US Steel Deal gives me “Buddy I hope you find your dad,” vibes. It may feel blindly optimistic that someone domestic will buy US Steel. Still, the intentions behind the purchase won’t make as much sense…
The Art of Not Knowing: Why an Undefined Career Path Can Open New Doors
I got the opportunity to guest lecture at the University of Pittsburgh’s Leadership Course and it was energizing. I got to share with them about how not knowing what they wanted to be when they grow up is their biggest asset. How many people know right now what it is that they want to do…
Why Waiting Your Turn is Overrated and Representation Matters
Why I Joined the Malcolm Movement In my last year as Mayor of Braddock I outdid myself. I played kickball with the Woodland Hills Students, judged a dessert contest at Braddock Farms, spoke at the Women’s March on the City County Steps, greeted folks again and again at Greater Valley Community Services Vaccine Clinics, ran…
Why Should I Get Vaccinated if I Can Still Get Covid & Other FAQs?
“Why Should I Get Vaccinated if I Can Still Get Covid?” This is my most frequently asked questioned and OMG! I wanna curse but I’m not gonna. I am in no way an epidemiologist but I work in IT Healthcare and I follow a few scientists, I also like reading, and my college degree was…
Millennial Mayor Check In
As it’s the last year of my term and it’s been a while since 29-year-old me was sworn in as the youngest mayor in Braddock History. I’ll never forget being whisked into council chambers and being briefed about all things Braddock Affairs. There was an array of conversations all at once. The police department oversaw…
So You Want to Run for Local Office?
I remember volunteering with the teens at The Braddock Youth Project. I wasn’t supposed to be there but a few days before I was to report to my Keys Service Corps AmeriCorps assignment at Braddock Borough Building I was asked to change course. “We need more people at BYP to mentor the youth.” In high…
Zoom Has Blurred Life/Work Balance
On average since the pandemic I’ve had about a Zoom call a day and that doesn’t even take in account that I still have a full-time job. At first Zoom was the perfect way to make us closer to each other but six months in I find myself not wanting to go to any of…
OMG It's Just Daé 