If the current state of politics in this country has you looking to relocate, here’s some news that might keep you here a little while longer. The city of Colorado Springs just made history by electing a Black mayor for the very first time.
Nigerian-born Yemi Mobolade defeated his Republican challenger, Wayne Williams, in a May 16 runoff election. Mobolade, an Independent, is also the first non-Republican mayor in the city’s history. His predecessor, Mayor John Suthers, publicly endorsed Williams during the campaign. How’s that for progress?
Before getting into politics, Mobolade co-founded restaurants Good Neighbors Meeting House and The Wild Goose Meeting House. He most recently served as the Small Business Development Administrator and Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Economic Development Corporation.
The mayor-elect ran on a platform of crime and safety, improving the city’s infrastructure and bringing more businesses to Colorado Springs. And his victory speech was a hopeful message to the city’s residents that positive change is on the horizon.
“We stand on a mountain of a new era in our city’s history,” he said in his speech. “Colorado Springs will become an inclusive, culturally rich, economically prosperous, safe and vibrant city on a hill that shines brightly.”
And unlike the Republican twice-impeached ex-President who shall remain nameless, Mobloade’s opponent was not a sore loser. In fact, he accepted the election results and congratulated the mayor-elect on his campaign, according to The Gazette.
“It’s clear Colorado Springs is less conservative than it used to be. When I was chairman here (of the El Paso County Republican Party) we had no Democratic state reps. Now we have three,” Williams said. “So there are significant changes that have taken place, and I congratulate Yemi on an excellent campaign.”
See, there is hope after all.