As of today, our network is officially more than 1,450 members strong – representing 48 states and DC. We’re majority women, majority people of color, and fiercer than ever. It’s incredible to see how much our network has grown and the collective power that comes with that.Â
As our network has grown and transformed, so too has our Board. Today, we’re excited to share some exciting updates and introduce our three new board members:
🎉 Our new co-chair: Marcielia Nicholson (she/her), Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman
She joins Baltimore City Councilmember Kristerfer Burnett as board co-chair, stepping into the role after the formidable Jillian Johnson who concluded her last term in office in December. We’re excited to have the two of them leading our network together!
Marcelia is the first Black woman and Latina elected as Chairwoman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Chairwoman Nicholson works to make opportunities that were given to her as a young woman growing up in 53206—one of the nation’s poorest and most incarcerated ZIP codes—available to others. She has authored and sponsored several significant pieces of legislation, including a $15 living wage ordinance, an eviction reduction program, a resolution establishing Juneteenth Day as a major holiday, and a declaration of racism as a public health crisis (Milwaukee County was the first county or municipality in the United States to do so). In her spare time, Marcelia serves as a national trainer for the Progressive Governance Academy, where she trains elected officials across the country on transitioning to public leadership and setting an agenda.
🎉 Our new board members:
- Tiffany Cabán (she/her), New York City Councilmember, NY. A Queens native and queer Latina, Tiffany spent years as a public defender fighting the brutal system of mass incarceration before running for office. In 2021, she became the City Council Member representing District 22, including Astoria, Rikers Island, and parts of Jackson Heights, Woodside, and East Elmhurst. In her time in the Council, she has introduced and passed legislation to support survivors of gender-based violence, protect abortion care in NYC, move homeless New Yorkers more efficiently from shelters to permanent homes, and much more. She is the co-Chair of the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus and a member leader in Local Progress, serving on the Public Safety Steering Committee. She lives in Astoria, Queens with her two rescue pups Natalie and Ducky.
- Maria Hadden (she/her), Chicago Alderwoman, IL. Alderwoman Maria Hadden is the first Black, queer woman elected to Chicago City Council. A servant-leader with a background in community organizing and participatory democracy, Maria is an independent, progressive champion of the people in the City Council. She represents the 49th Ward – dubbed, “Little Chicago,” because of the racial, ethnic, and economic demographics that most reflect Chicago’s diversity. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus and Chairwoman of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy. She is also a member of both the Aldermanic Black Caucus and the LGBTQ Caucus – the nation’s largest. Maria lives in Rogers Park with her wife Natalia and their two dogs, Finn and Lola.
- A’Dorian Murray-Thomas (she/her), Essex County Commissioner, NJ. A’Dorian is a proud champion of children and strong public education systems. In 2019, she became the youngest woman ever elected to the Newark School Board, the state’s largest public school district. Last year she made history again as the youngest person ever elected to the Essex County Commission, where she now works to ensure young people see themselves as having a seat at the table. She has been a member leader in Local Progress, playing a critical role on the network’s inaugural School Board Steering Committee.
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We’re so grateful to have their leadership on our board to help drive and grow our work in the months and years to come.Â
We’re also immensely grateful to our four departing board members – Andrew Friedman, Helen Gym, Robin Kniech, and Arti Walker-Peddakotla – whose commitment and vision have helped grow our network into what it is today.Â
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to this incredible group! And if you’re joining us in Oakland in July, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to them in-person!Â
