Sequanna Taylor
Sequanna Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Member-elect of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 11th district | |
| Assuming office January 6, 2025 | |
| Succeeding | Dora Drake |
| Member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors | |
| Assumed office April 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Marcelia Nicholson |
| Constituency | 5th district |
| In office April 2016 – April 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Khalif Rainey |
| Succeeded by | Willie Johnson Jr. |
| Constituency | 2nd district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1979 (age 45) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | divorced |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Education | |
| Website | Official website (County) |
Sequanna Taylor (born July 1979) is an American educator, community organizer, and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a member-elect of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and will represent Wisconsin's 11th Assembly district in the 2025–2026 term. She is also currently a member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, since 2016, and a former member of the board of the Milwaukee Public Schools.
Biography
[edit]Sequanna Taylor was born, raised, and has lived most of her life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She grew up in the Amani neighborhood, on Milwaukee's northwest side. She was the first member of her family to graduate from high school and college.[1]
She worked for 15 years in the Milwaukee Public Schools as a coordinator for the parents of special needs students. She attended college at night while working and raising her children, earning her associate's degree from Concordia University Wisconsin, and then her bachelor's degree from Cardinal Stritch University.[2] Through her work in Milwaukee schools, she became active in the teacher's union, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, and eventually became a member of the union leadership and a member of the board of directors of the National Education Association.[3]
Political career
[edit]In 2016, Taylor made her first bid for public office, running for Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in the 2nd district seat being vacated by Khalif Rainey. She has been re-elected every two years since then, though she was redistricted to the 5th county board district in 2022. In 2019, she also won a seat on the board of education of the Milwaukee Public Schools, and served a four year term in that role.
In 2023, state representative Dora Drake announced she would forgo re-election to run instead for Wisconsin Senate. Just after winning her fifth term on the county board, in April 2024, Taylor announced that she would run to succeed Drake in the 11th district of the Wisconsin State Assembly.[4] No Republican ran in the 11th district, which was overwhelmingly Democratic, but Taylor faced a contested Democratic primary against Milwaukee graduate student Amillia Heredia.[5] Taylor won the primary with over 83% of the vote,[6] and won the general election without opposition.[7] She is set to take office in January 2025.
Personal life and family
[edit]While in high school, Taylor became romantically involved with an older man, and eventually married him. They had two children together before divorcing. Taylor alleged that he had been emotionally abusive.[2]
In 2022, Taylor received an honorary doctorate degree from Trinity International University, in the field of entrepreneurship and business administration.
Electoral history
[edit]Wisconsin Assembly (2024)
[edit]| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Primary[6] | Aug. 13 | Sequanna Taylor | Democratic | 3,927 | 83.25% | Amillia Heredia | Dem. | 774 | 16.41% | 4,717 | 3,153 |
| General[7] | Nov. 5 | Sequanna Taylor | Democratic | 20,392 | 98.77% | --unopposed-- | 20,646 | |||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Supervisor Taylor Statement on the Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris" (PDF). Office of Supervisor Sequanna Taylor (Press release). January 20, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2024 – via Wispolitics.com.
- ^ a b Jenz, Tom (May 22, 2023). "Black Influencer Dr. Sequanna Taylor: Working to Improve Her Community". Shepherd Express. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ "Sequanna Taylor - 5th District Supervisor". Milwaukee County. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Swales, Vanessa (April 29, 2024). "Milwaukee County Supervisor Sequanna Taylor announces bid for state Assembly seat". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Kilmer, Graham (August 10, 2024). "Milwaukee Senate and Assembly Races". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ a b County by County Report - 2024 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2024. p. 11. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ a b County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 11. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
External links
[edit]- 1979 births
- Living people
- Politicians from Milwaukee
- Concordia University Wisconsin alumni
- Cardinal Stritch University alumni
- County supervisors in Wisconsin
- School board members in Wisconsin
- Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- African-American state legislators in Wisconsin
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century African-American women politicians
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature