Former Wisconsin State Senator and Milwaukee County Supervisor Nikiya Dodd to Seek Milwaukee’s 5th Aldermanic District Seat

MILWAUKEE (May 24, 2018) –  Nikiya Dodd formally announces today her candidacy for Milwaukee Alderman, 5th District.

“I was born and raised in Milwaukee, and four years ago, my husband and I made the 5th district our permanent home,” said Dodd. “My love for this city reaches back, over 40 years, when my grandparents moved their young family to Milwaukee with hopes of a better quality of life, good schools, and family supporting jobs. It is in this hope; Tony and I choose to raise our son in this great city,” Dodd continued.

As a resident of Nash Park, Dodd says the reality facing her community are car thefts, rolling drug sales, and gun violence. She has been awakened, on more than one occasion, to the sounds of gunshots during late night hours. As a mother of a 3-year-old, it terrifies her to think her child and other children are not safe in their very own community.

“I refuse to stand on the sideline and watch while criminal activity takes place in our neighborhood. I envision and desire that the 5th Aldermanic District be a community where families choose to buy homes and raise their kids.”

Dodd’s experience in state and county government includes legislative policies on economic development, law enforcement, environmental policies, and parks. In the private sector, she has spent her career as a non-profit professional in healthcare, education, and community services.

Dodd’s decision to run for Alderman was motivated by her strong desire to create and maintain a quality of life for residents that provides safe neighborhoods and parks for children to play. She believes in the power of working together to find solutions to make her community better.

As Alderwoman, Dodd will work on the following issues to improve her district:

• Setup investments in roads
• Promote long-term solutions to public safety
• Investigate ways to curb dangerous driving
• Advocate fiscal responsibility

About Nikiya Dodd
Nikiya Dodd started her political career on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 2010 through 2012. As a county supervisor, Dodd led the County Board on the decision to separate the House of Correction from the Sheriff’s budget. The separation resulted in the implementation and restoration of inmate treatment and diversion programming for non-violent offenders. These changes increased evidence-based decision-making practices while saving millions in taxpayer dollars.

She also led the fight for voters’ rights by opposing Governor Scott Walker’s Voter ID law. She eased voter access to the polls by passing an initiative that, temporarily, allowed thousands of Milwaukee residents to receive a free birth certificate, including the elderly and young adults.

Dodd was also a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 6th Senate District from 2013-2017. She did not seek re-election. During the 2013-14 legislative session, Dodd pushed for an increase in the minimum wage, access to job training, and affordable healthcare. She also put forth initiatives to repair Milwaukee’s foreclosure crisis and reform Wisconsin’s broken criminal justice system and mental health system.

In April 2014, Dodds’ bill to create the Milwaukee County Emergency Detention Pilot Program was signed into law. The program put the authority to initiate emergency detentions into the hands of qualified mental health professionals, rather than solely in the hands of the police. The law is intended to stop negative police interjection into mental health crisis situations.

Dodd graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in community education and a master’s degree in adult education. She and her husband, Anthony Dodd Sr., live on Milwaukee’s northwest side with their 3-year-old son Anthony Thomas Dodd, Jr.

Vote Dodd MKE

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.