Since Pittsburgh partitioned city council representatives into districts in 1989, it has been guaranteed to have two Black members, but never more.
On May 19, La’Tasha D. Mayes hopes to change that by winning the Democratic Primary Election for District 7 She announced her run on her Facebook page March 19.
“Pittsburgh has changed my life and to this day, it affirms for me that anything is possible,” she said. “I know it is possible for young person to provide District 7 with a new voice. It is possible for a Black person to advance a policy vision that represents the needs and interests of all residents regardless of their background. It is possible for a LGBTQ person to organize our neighbors to create changes that improve our lives, families and communities.”
Mayes, who originally hails from Philadelphia, came to Pittsburgh 15 years ago to attend the University of Pittsburgh and never left. She also earned a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University and 11 years ago founded New Voices Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that advocates for reproductive and healthcare justice for Black women and girls.
Mayes is running to unseat incumbent Deb Gross, who won a five-way special election to serve out the remainder of Patrick Dowd’s term in 2013. Gross, who also holds a master’s degree, is the former executive director of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Alliance and a strong ally of Mayor Bill Peduto.
Gross has also worked on community development as a member of the Lawrenceville Corporation and for the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation and is probably best known politically for pushing through the legislation that created the controversial Pittsburgh Land Bank, which streamlines the process for seizing tax-delinquent property.
Mayes said her campaign will focus on creating “affordable, sustainable and healthy communities in Morningside, Highland Park, Stanton Heights, Lawrenceville, Strip District, Friendship, Bloomfield and Polish Hill.”
On April 11, Mayes opened her campaign office on Penn Avenue in Friendship with an open house celebration, saying the office will be “a hub for voter engagement” and will allow residents to get to know her.
“I am excited to have a physical presence and location to engage voters and residents on issues important to them, such as affordable housing, balanced community development and food access,” she said. “As an elected official, I will be an accessible council member, committed to building affordable, sustainable and healthy communities for everyone in District 7.”
(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
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