In April of this year La Crosse, Wisconsin elected its first Black, gay mayor. Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey joins host Ali Muldrow to talk about his journey to becoming Mayor and what he hopes to achieve while in office.

Mayor Washington-Spivey got his start working in public schools and shares what it was like to work in education during COVID. His background working with youth has influenced his approach to politics, saying that he understands why young people want to see change and see it quickly. He predicts more young people running for office in the next few years, and that’s because there are plenty of young people ready for leadership. 

Something that Mayor Washington-Spivey is working towards is making La Crosse more forward-thinking. That includes creating a stronger narrative about La Crosse’s identity, from its natural beauty to city life. He’s also working to educate the public about how city governance works. 

They also discuss the political landscape of Wisconsin and how Mayor Washington-Spivey grew to feel welcome in La Crosse. Muldrow says that running for an office that a Black or queer person has never held before, means running against a history that says, “you don’t belong.” Mayor Washington-Spivey describes his constituents who tell him how important it is for them to see a gay Black man running for, and being elected to, office. For that reason, he says it feels like he represents something bigger than himself. 

Shaundel Washington-Spivey served on the La Crosse School Board before being elected as Mayor. He is a member of Tony Evers’s Advisory Council on Equity and Inclusion, serves on multiple boards and advisory committees throughout the region, and is the Executive Director of Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K) which offers youth and community support programs.

Featured image: remix by Sara Gabler/WORT.

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