About Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson
Marcelia Nicholson is an award-winning activist, and the first Black woman and Latina elected as Chairwoman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Prior to her election as Board Chair, she served as 1st Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Economic & Community Development and Intergovernmental Relations committees. She sits on the board of directors of several community and national organizations, including Local Progress, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin Counties Association, Clean Wisconsin, Southeastern Wisconsin Planning Commission, and the UW-Extension Board of Visitors.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Chairwoman Nicholson works to make opportunities that were given to her as a young woman growing up in 53206—one of the nation’s poorest and most incarcerated ZIP codes—available to others. Chairwoman Nicholson is a champion for working people, public education, economic development, and community empowerment. Her past work as a union activist, community organizer, and educator informs her policy and community work. She has authored and sponsored several significant pieces of legislation, including a $15 living wage ordinance, an eviction reduction program, a resolution establishing Juneteenth Day as a major holiday, and a declaration of racism as a public health crisis (Milwaukee County was the first county or municipality in the United States to do so). She has also secured funding for County parks, advocated on behalf of women of color seeking entrepreneurship, and fought for criminal justice reform.
Chairwoman Nicholson is a proud product of Milwaukee Public Schools and is an honors graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to her first election to the Board of Supervisors in 2016, she taught 4th grade at Milwaukee Public Schools. As a member of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA), she worked to organize MTEA members and community groups for better teaching and classroom conditions. She earned recognition for her activism and dedication to Social Justice Unionism with a feature profile and cover story in the Fall 2016 edition of the National Education Association magazine.
Chairwoman Nicholson is also the Director of Civic Engagement and Independent Political Power at the Center for Popular Democracy. In her spare time, Marcelia serves as a national trainer for the Progressive Governance Academy, where she trains progressive elected officials across the country on various skills, including transitioning to public leadership and setting an agenda. She also has a passion for baking and owns her own business baking cookies, cakes, and sweets.
Notable accomplishments and recognitions:
- Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 (2022
- Milwaukee Business Journal “Power Broker” (2020 and 2021)
- Milwaukee Democratic Party Rising Star Award (2020)
- Panelist, Democratic National Convention, Milwaukee (2020)
- Young Elected Officials Inaugural 35 under 35 (2020)
- Downtown Milwaukee Downtown Playmaker Award (2019)
- Young Elected Officials Inaugural Trailblazer Award (2018)
- Panelist, Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference (2018)
- Local Progress National Board Member (2017)
- National Working Families Party Academy Delegate to Madrid, Spain (2017)
- Center for Popular Democracy Elected Representative to World Transformed Festival in Brighton, England (2019)
- Panelist, Democratic National Convention, Philadelphia (2016)
- National Education Association (NEA) 30 Under 30 (2016)
- NEA Magazine Cover Story (Fall 2016)
All press release, newsletter and in the news content dated prior to April 18, 2022, reflects Chairwoman Nicholson representing County Supervisory District 5 prior to decennial Milwaukee County redistricting.
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Press Releases
Nov-11-2022
Last night the Board of Supervisors adopted [15-3] the 2023 Milwaukee County Budget. Adopted budget amendments avoided cuts to paratransit service and made substantial investments in the county park system.
Oct-26-2022
Today the Finance Committee unanimously recommended for adoption a budget amendment from Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez to offer translation services—including multilingual captioning, meeting notices, and agendas – for County Board and committee meetings.
Nov-03-2022
On Tuesday, November 1, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors held their annual public hearing on County Executive David Crowley’s 2023 recommended budget. Chairwoman Nicholson and Supervisor Martin released the following statements following the meeting.
Oct-26-2022
Today the County Board’s Finance Committee unanimously recommended for adoption an amendment authored by Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and Supervisor Liz Sumner.
Nov-03-2022
On Saturday, October 29 hundreds of Milwaukee area residents came together for the inaugural Sherman Park Harvest Fest organized by County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson.
Oct-14-2022
Today the Wisconsin Policy Forum published its summary analysis of the 2023 Milwaukee County Recommended Budget. Chairwoman Nicholson released the following statement.
Nov-01-2022
Yesterday county officials unveiled signage for the recently renamed “Olmsted Way” through Washington Park. The parkway was renamed through a resolution sponsored by County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson.
Sep-28-2022
Today Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson announced the completion of new technology in the Milwaukee County Board Room which allows the Board to conduct hybrid meetings and increase accessibility for Milwaukee County residents.
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In The News
Oct-05-2022
For the first time in Milwaukee County history there will be a LGBTQ official landmark. And that landmark will belong to the old Black Nite tavern, home to Wisconsin's LGBTQ uprising.
Sep-15-2022
In April, Marcelia Nicholson was elected to a fourth term as a Milwaukee County Supervisor. We talk with her about the latest challenges facing the county, including racial equity and budget cuts.
Sep-30-2022
Considering herself to be an educator at heart, Marcelia Nicholson made the tough decision to leave her career as a teacher in response to her community’s lack of fair representation. To become an elected official was her best chance to try fixing what she saw as a broken system.
Sep-08-2022
This spring, Marcus Performing Arts Center president and CEO Kendra Whitlock Ingram helped launch the BIPOC Executive Leadership in the Arts Program.
Sep-22-2022
A vote by the Milwaukee County Board Thursday could end up sending more children to the troubled state-run youth prisons at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake.
Sep-04-2022
Milwaukee County Board chairwoman on recent meetings, push to increase funding.
Sep-19-2022
The Milwaukee County Board’s Finance Committee approved changing the name of Johnsons Park, or rather, completing the name. The committee recommended approval of a proposal from Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson that would change the name from Johnsons Park to Clarence and Cleopatra Johnson Park.
Aug-26-2022
The Milwaukee County Transit System is seeing an increase in ridership this year compared to last, but numbers are still not as high as they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. As of this week, the transit system will have given nearly 1.1 million more rides than this time last year, for a total of 8.5 million.