This video is an adaptation of remarks provided by Mandy at SEMCOG’s 2024 June General Assembly meeting. These remarks are provided below in their entirety.
I am not supposed to be here. Why? Raise your hand if you know of another woman of color who came to the US as a foreign student who entered politics and served as a local elected official for two decades, first as County Commissioner and then Supervisor/Mayor. Yes, I came to this country pretty much penniless as a foreign student and no family except my sister. I married another loner and together, Robert and I, have done our best to build a better and more prosperous life for not just our own family but also our community because, in the absence of a real one, Pittsfield Township has been our extended family.
That is the reason, over the past two decades, I have forsaken professional advancement in favor of working to promote sustainability and inclusivity the best way I know how – as an urban planner at the hyperlocal level. In fact, I have walked away from many jobs and chances to climb the political ladder and have, rather, done the reverse by stepping down the ladder as county commissioner to run for supervisor in 2008. That said, there is one position I have sought and desired: that of SEMCOG Chair.
Why? I have valued it higher than that of being County Commissioner or State Representative because it is the one that most truly aligns with my values as a naturalized American citizen and as a public servant.
I came to America because of the belief that I could follow my passions and forge my own path. I guess it did that, eh?!
In November I will step down after two decades of serving the residents of Pittsfield Township, Washtenaw County, and Southeast Michigan. I never lost a single election, acquired over $60 million in grants, and changed the physical and cultural landscape of Pittsfield Township from a sprawled out suburban community to one that is cross-connected and supports a robust multimodal transportation network with one of the most diverse business landscapes and housing stock in our region. This was possible because of the many people who, through the years, saw me for who I am: a mother, an urban planner, and a public servant; rather than try to place me in some pre-defined box of elected official, woman of color, foreigner, etc. The one place I always, without fail, felt seen for who I am and felt a sense of belonging and empowered to realize my version of the American Dream was right here at SEMCOG.
I cannot recall the many number of conversations I have had with many of you over the years at SEMCOG about why and how we love volunteering our time here; because political identifications and other divisions fall away as we come together to continually promote the vitality and vibrancy of our cities, township, villages, schools!
This regional and inclusive model of decision making and resource distribution of SEMCOG has supported my work as Pittsfield Township Supervisor from day one. At a time, around a decade and a half ago, when no one was talking about but were, rather, ridiculing the idea of non-motorized amenities in a suburban landscape, the SEMCOG staff and team stepped up and stepped in to help me manifest my vision of retrofitting a suburban landscape to promote sustainability and inclusivity.
The pubic gathering places we have built in Pittsfield Township as a result of this work have given a face to the many people who live, work, and recreate in Pittsfield Township and embedded diversity into the DNA of our community such that we are now one of the most diverse communities in the State of Michigan! In 2023, Pittsfield Township gave out the second highest number of new residential building permits, just behind the City of Detroit. Pittsfield Township, today, is a place where I, my children and people from all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging and affinity. Suffice it to say, SEMCOG gave me the tools and empowered me to manifest my vision of the American Dream!
So, it is of tremendous personal significance to me to be Chair of SEMCOG. Even though the pandemic has altered the timelines so that I will be Chair for only a few months, it is so important for me to stand here today and say – during a time of political and socio-economic divisions – that the American dream is alive and kicking right here in Southeast Michigan!
Another reason I am so very excited to be Chair of SEMCOG is because it is the one place I found, over the years, that mirrors my sensibilities and values as a public servant rooted in my training as an urban planner.
Even though – and maybe because – I grew up around politics, I wanted nothing to do with it. But one can’t disregard or walk away from the chances that present themselves in your life. So, even though I was pulled into the direction of politics after completing my doctoral degree in urban planning from Michigan, as a result of working with my husband Robert to preserve green spaces in our neighborhood, I did step down as County Commissioner and ran for Supervisor because I wanted to push the boundaries by relying on my planning knowledge to bring tangible positive change at the local level by breaking down physical barriers that segregate our communities and promoting a sense of place and community in PT.
The fact that SEMCOG is continually dedicating its resources and staff to doing not just the most basic of tasks like communicating with and reaching out to its member communities but also pushing the boundaries of what is possible to maximize federal and State dollars to promote vitality and vibrancy in Southeast Michigan is truly noteworthy. They thought outside the box when setting aside monies for regional planning projects five years ago, which are now translating into actual projects linking our communities together through greenways, bridges, and stormwater management to name a few. They built in flexibility during the pandemic to make sure we did not return one single cent of the money allocated to our region. The examples are too many, and I would not do justice if I tried to list them. Suffice it to say that SEMCOG provides an invaluable framework within which we can function as a community of local elected officials that can rely on one another as we work together to promote positive change in our own cities, township, villages, schools and, by extension, regionally in Southeast Michigan.
So, thank you from the bottom of my heart, for the many years of guidance, friendship, assistance, and, yes, money!!, to help me work as a public servant so I may showcase my own version of the American dream in a not-so-tiny and growing vibrant place called Pittsfield Township 🙂
I look forward to working with each of you through November to further build on and enhance SEMCOG’s rich heritage.
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