Wahsayah Whitebird
Wahsayah Whitebird (born 1992) is a member of the Communist Party of the United States currently serving on the City Council of Ashland, Wisconsin, United States. Whitebird is a Native American from the Bad River Band of the Chippewa people and is the only Communist Party member serving as an elected official in the United States.
Wahsayah Whitebird | |
|---|---|
| Ward 6 City Councilor of Ashland, WI | |
| Assumed office April 17, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | David J. Mettille |
| Constituency | Ashland, Wisconsin Ward 6 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1992 (age 28–29) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Political party | Communist Party of the United States |
Early life
Whitebird is a member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, a tribe whose reservation is located about 10 miles east of Ashland on the coast of Lake Superior.[1] Whitebird worked at a deli in Ashland prior to his election and was a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers.[2]
Electoral history
Whitebird won his first election on April 2, 2019, beating incumbent David J. Mettille 52-42.[3] His campaign platform was described as "radical" by the Ashland Daily Press, running on issues like making housing more affordable, reducing drug abuse, and building homeless shelters.[4][5] The election was nonpartisan, and Whitebird's affiliation with the Communist Party was not publicly known until after he won. Whitebird has been a member of the Communist Party since 2011.[5] His election made him the only known Communist Party member elected to public office in the United States.[1]
Policy positions
Whitebird's policy positions are generally aligned with those of democratic socialists, though his overall political views and philosophy are more aligned with traditional Communism.[1] Since being elected, Whitebird has announced support for policies like raising the minimum wage and implementing a Green New Deal.[5] Whitebird expressed disdain toward school resource officers in September 2020, saying that removing them from schools was a step towards ending the "school to prison pipeline."[6]
References
- Norton, Alexander (18 September 2019). "Wisconsin supports their local Communist". Morning Star. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Johnson, Earchiel (7 May 2019). "Native American communist topples incumbent council president in Wisconsin town". People's World. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Winger, Richard (May 7, 2019). "Communist Party Member Elected to City Council of Ashland, Wisconsin". Ballot Access News. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Olivio, Rick (April 2, 2019). "Whitebird defeats Mettille in Ashland District 6". Ashland Daily Press. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Varney, James. "Wisconsin Native American, a Communist Party member, elected to city council". The Washington Times. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- Kehle, Elise (15 September 2020). "Ashland, Wisconsin rallies for student safety, demands end to SRO program". People's World. Retrieved January 26, 2021.