Meet the candidates of color who made history in the 2021 election

TAYLOR KNIGHT:

THIS WEEK’S HISTORIC ELECTION RESULTS WERE A LOT TO TAKE IN. BESIDES BIG GOVERNOR’S RACES – THERE ARE SOME MAJOR POLITICAL MILESTONES. 

HERE’S A LOOK AT OUR PICKS, IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM. 

STARTING ON THE WEST COAST- BRUCE HARRELL BECAME THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN AND SECOND AFRICAN AMERICAN TO LEAD SEATTLE AS MAYOR. 

A MODERATE DEMOCRAT, HARRELL FORMERLY SERVED AS THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN SEATTLE AND RETIRED IN 2020. 

HE CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE AND SERVE HIS COMMUNITY THROUGH POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, AND EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 

HARRELL WON THE ELECTION WITH 65% OF THE VOTES BEATING HIS OPPONENT, PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT LORENA GONZALEZ.

HEADING EAST- WINSOME SEARS IS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO SERVE AS VIRGINIA’S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. 

CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN WINSOME SEARS DEFEATED ANOTHER WOMAN OF COLOR, DEMOCRAT DELEGATE. HALA AYALA.

THE JAMAICAN NATIVE IS THE FIRST REPUBLICAN WOMAN ELECTED TO THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPRESENTING THE 90TH DISTRICT FOR ONE TERM.

WHILE LIVING IN JAMAICA, SEARS SERVED IN THE MARINE CORPS. THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS VERY PATRIOTIC ABOUT AMERICA SHARING, “THIS COUNTRY HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR ME, I WAS WILLING, WILLING, TO DIE FOR THIS COUNTRY.”  

THEN THERE’S SHAHANA HANIF. THE FIRST MUSLIM WOMAN ELECTED TO THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL. 

HANIF NOW REPRESENTS OVER 769,000 MUSLIMS LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY.

THE BANGLADESHI AMERICAN ALSO BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST TWO PEOPLE OF SOUTH ASIAN DESCENT TO WIN SEATS ON THE COUNCIL.

HANIF BECAME INVOLVED IN POLITICS AFTER HATE CRIMES AGAINST THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY INCREASED AFTER 9/11. HANIF BELIEVES, “WE ARE BUILDING AN ANTI-RACIST, FEMINIST CITY.” 

FINALLY WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT  MICHELLE WU. SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN AND PERSON OF COLOR TO BE ELECTED AS THE MAYOR OF BOSTON. 

THE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT IS THE YOUNGEST MAYORAL CANDIDATE TO BE ELECTED AT THE AGE OF 36.  

SHE WAS BORN IN CHICAGO – MAKING HER THE FIRST MAYOR OVER A CENTURY WHO WAS NOT BORN AND RAISED IN BOSTON.

WU IS THE SIXTH PERSON OF ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER DESCENT TO HOLD MAYORAL OFFICE IN A TOP 100 U.S. CITY

WHICH HISTORIC 2021 ELECTION MILESTONE DID WE MISS IN OUR TOP FOUR? 

LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.