Wahsayah Whitebird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wahsayah Whitebird
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| City Councilor of Ashland, WI | |
| In office April 17, 2019 – April 17, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | David J. Mettille |
| Succeeded by | Charles Ortman |
| Constituency | District 6 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 1, 1992 Hayward, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Nationality | American Chippewa |
| Political party | Communist |
Wahsayah Whitebird (born in 1992) is a Native American leader from the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He served on the City Council in Ashland, Wisconsin, from 2019 to 2021. A City Council is a group of elected people who make decisions for a city. Whitebird is a member of the Communist Party of the United States.
Early Life and Background
Wahsayah Whitebird is a member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Their tribal land is located near Ashland, Wisconsin, close to Lake Superior. Before he was elected, Whitebird worked at a deli in Ashland. He was also a member of a workers' union called the United Food and Commercial Workers.
Becoming a City Leader
Whitebird won his first election on April 2, 2019. He ran for a spot on the Ashland City Council. He beat the person who held the position before him, David J. Mettille. Whitebird won with 52% of the votes, while Mettille received 42%.
This election was "nonpartisan," meaning candidates did not officially run as members of a political party. Whitebird's connection to the Communist Party was not widely known until after he won. He has been a member of the Communist Party since 2011. At the time, his election made him the only known Communist Party member to hold public office in the United States. He chose not to run for re-election in 2021.
His Ideas for Ashland
Whitebird's ideas for the city were similar to those of "democratic socialists." These are people who believe the government should help make society fairer. However, his overall political beliefs were closer to traditional Communism.
While serving on the City Council, Whitebird supported several important ideas:
- Raising the minimum wage: He wanted to increase the lowest amount of money employers can pay workers.
- Green New Deal: He supported plans to fight climate change and create new jobs.
- School resource officers: In 2020, he spoke about removing police officers from schools. He believed this would help stop the "school to prison pipeline." This idea suggests that some school policies can push students into the justice system.
See also
- List of Communist Party USA members who have held office in the United States
