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You might say Nikiya Harris snuck into office. But the newest Milwaukee County Supervisor, elected in a low-turnout election that some saw as an upset, succeeds Toni Clark (who was convicted of filing a false campaign report and resigned from office) and has big goals she hopes to accomplish. Harris was officially sworn in on June 10.

In a little-noticed election on May 25 for the position representing Milwaukee County’s second district on the city’s northwest side, Harris beat Wallace White with 736 votes to his 331. Some observers were surprised. “He’s very well established in the community and thought he had it in the bag,” Harris says.

nikiya harris (photo by adrian palomo)

White, long a name in Milwaukee government and politics, has served as commissioner of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District (MMSD), on the executive committee for the Community Brainstorming Conference and as program chair at the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board. But Harris’ endorsements included the AFL-CIO, the Milwaukee County Democratic Party and many unions representing county employees. At 35, she was also half the age of the 76-year-old runner-up.

Harris has lengthy experience in nonprofit work. In addition to working as a fundraiser and membership recruiter at the Urban Ecology Center, she was the Executive Assistant for Urban Strategies, and a Student Services Coordinator at UW-Milwaukee. Harris has also participated in The White House Project, a nonprofit that assists in getting women into leadership roles.

She was a congressional intern for Rep. David Bonior (D-Michigan, tenth district), where she helped write press releases, manage clips and keep tabs on the congressman in the news.

Harris is already staking out an issue that’s gotten little attention: the county’s respite care system. Funding for the service was eliminated this year. Respite care allows full-time caregivers to get a break. Harris says she plans to fight to restore funding for the program.

Harris has her own experience with care-giving. Her mother was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2001 and suffered a stroke. Shortly after Harris returned from her internship in D.C., her mother slipped into a coma and died. Then 26, Harris took in her three youngest siblings, Kenya, Lakendra and Davin. “It helped build my character and helped me see the power I had to make change,” says Harris.

“Nikiya’s a true big sister. She’s always there when you need her, even though she’s got a million things to do,” says Kenya, now 22 and the oldest of the three siblings.

Her mother was receiving W-2 checks, her only source of income. Harris did not have a job upon her return to Milwaukee and was concerned about how she would take care of her three siblings. “They needed school supplies, clothes and we needed a place to stay,” says Harris. “I walked down to the W-2 office with my hands on my hips and said, ‘I’m cashing these checks,’” Harris recounts. She says she filed the necessary paperwork, and the entire experience was very empowering.

“It was the first time I was the authoritative figure in my siblings’ life,” says Harris. “I was able to make decisions about not just my life, but theirs as well.”

Another county issue Harris cares about is transportation. With so many people losing their jobs in the economic downturn, the county transit system needs more attention, she says. With bus routes being shortened and changed, she adds, people have a hard time planning how to get from place to place.

Previously, bus riders could contact the transit hotline to receive personal assistance with planning their routes. Now, that service has been cut back. Riders can still use the automated system, but now there are no longer live voices to offer personalize information.

“Those who rely on public transportation suffer the most. They don’t have the means to seek jobs outside the city limits,” says Harris. “It’s detrimental to families and the community.”

Harris is a board member at Kids Matter, Inc., a nonprofit that focuses on helping children within the child welfare and foster care systems. “She really dives into issues to learn all she can,” says Susan Conwell, executive director at Kids Matter, Inc.

Harris says she is also concerned about issues like disability care and services and county parks. She will make $50,679 a year as a supervisor.

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