Black History Month: Rankin Mayor Joelisa McDonald wants to make difference in hometown
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — February is Black History Month, an occasion to recognize historic Black figures and the contributions made by African Americans.
As we kick off our month-long celebration, KDKA-TV is shining a light on Joelisa McDonald, the first African American woman to serve as mayor of Rankin.
"Definitely a proud moment," she said. "But also kind of unfortunate, too, because after 130 years you would think that another woman had an opportunity to sit in that seat."
McDonald was first appointed mayor in March 2021 after the previous mayor resigned, but she decided to run for a full term in 2022 because she says she had a vision for the borough and wanted to make a difference.
"I just would like to see us build a tax base so that we can start to fix up our roads and start to beautify and people can start seeing that and want to develop here," McDonald said.
She is also a single mom who is raising her son in Rankin. She sees the youth in the community as a top priority.
"It's important that we find ways to connect with our youth and keep them interested and engaged," McDonald said. "I think one of the main important things that people tend to miss is meeting them where they're at."
In addition to serving as mayor, McDonald also holds another full-time job because the mayor's position pays $125 a month. But she says she didn't want the job for the money. She wanted it to help lead her hometown.
"You really have to care about what you're doing," McDonald said.
