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…
Tag: Braddock
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…
Black Women Lead Even When It Hurts
Black People have been leading the movement for change for decades and the change has always intentionally included everyone else, but if this election taught us anything, it taught us that everyone doesn’t have that same “everyone” mentality.
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…
Politicians Are Politicizing the Mon Valley’s Poverty
Yesterday I spoke in front of approximately 300 US Steel workers and supporters to give insight on what a three billion dollar investment deal would mean to the Mon Valley, and specifically my neighborhood. I also spoke about what a decrease in investment in the neighborhood cost and it’s about more than jobs. People are…
The Sousa-ical: A Song and Dance of Revitalization
“Community revitalization,” “Farm to table,” and now Chef Kevin Sousa is packing up and moving on to Mount Oliver to open his newest Mount Oliver Bodega Restaurant. The Post-Gazette write-up describes it as rustic cuisine. They’re breathing life into an old building. They’re on to new adventures. Sousa is excited about cooking again. If this…
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…
No Fracking Way
Fracking wasn’t around years ago or we didn’t really know about it. Truth is, we don’t really know much about it now either. It’s just drilling into the Earth for oil, it’s quite frankly, The American Way. I guess wealth is measured in oil. When do we take a look at the planet and say,…
I’m a Millennial Mayor
It was our parents that told us that we could be whatever we wanted. I’ve been a secretary (fun), an AmeriCorps member (proud), flight attendant (interesting), IT Business Analyst (weird right), and now I can add millennial mayor to that list. On February 11th, 2019 I was sworn in as Braddock’s youngest mayor. I went…
Braddock: Why I Came Back
Braddock is rather resilient. A town of approximately 2,100 people with a median income of a little over $20,000 is building a new identity and looking to the people to help lead that transformation
OMG It's Just Daé 