Parma, Cleveland's biggest suburb, marked a significant milestone in February when it swore in Monica Wilson, the city's first Black city council person.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really an honor," Wilson said. 鈥淗opefully I can influence people, people of color, other little Black girls into saying, 鈥榊ou know I can do anything, I can be anything.鈥欌��
The latest Census report shows Parma鈥檚 population as 84 percent white and five percent Black. Wilson has lived in Parma about three decades. She鈥檚 working to change the perception that Parma isn鈥檛 for everyone.
鈥淚 heard that it was a pretty difficult community to live in for Black people, that Black people did not feel welcomed and that there may have been even some incidents here in the city," Wilson said. "I鈥檓 not na茂ve and I鈥檓 not belittling anyone鈥檚 experience, I just personally have not felt the discrimination and the idea that I鈥檓 not wanted here.鈥�
Wilson grew up in Detroit. For a few years, she lived in Charleston, West Virginia, before moving to Northeast Ohio where she鈥檚 been working as a chemical engineer. In joining Parma City Council, Wilson is following in the footsteps of her parents who were also trailblazers.
鈥淢y dad was one of the first Black executives for Sears and my mom was one of the first Black employees for the gas company up in Detroit," Wilson said.
Wilson ran for the Ward 1 seat in 2021. She lost to the incumbent, Vito Dipierro. Dipierro vacated his seat last month to fill the open council president position. Wilson was appointed to fill the remainder of Dipierro鈥檚 term.
She says her interest in running for office was in part sparked by the January 6 riots at the U.S. capitol.
鈥淥ther people said, well you know it鈥檚 Parma, you鈥檙e not going to win. And I said, you know things have changed. I don鈥檛 care what you got to say, I'm going to do this, my heart says do it, I鈥檓 going for it," Wilson said.
One of her biggest supporters along that way has been Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, who is a barrier breaker herself as the first LGBTQ+ person in that position.
鈥淪he had to persevere. She had to do a lot of the hard work of putting herself in places where maybe it wasn鈥檛 comfortable all the time," Antonio said. "I think this could be very, very... such a positive not just for her but for whole community
Wilson was a big hit at a Cuyahoga Democratic Women鈥檚 Caucus event in February. Among those attending was former Warrensville Heights School Board member Michele Elba, another Black woman in politics, who said she was proud of Wilson.
鈥淧arma always says let鈥檚 be more diverse, but then you never have any diversity to the table," Elba said. "Just to see her actually appointed shows that maybe they are ready to come into the 21st century to bring about change for women of color, for women period.鈥�
As Parma鈥檚 first Black city council person, Wilson says she wants to be influential in the way other Parma leaders approach issues of diversity.
鈥淎lthough I鈥檓 the first, I won鈥檛 be the last. And hopefully this will just be a continuance to reflect that society in Parma," Wilson said.
Wilson faces challenges to keeping that sense of diversity on council in the months ahead. She lost her 2021 council bid by a large margin and has two challengers in the upcoming May primary. But this time she鈥檒l have the advantage of incumbency.
