How a new wave of Black leaders is transforming Arizona politics

The face of leadership in Arizona is evolving. “Clearly, there are more African Americans interested in public service,” said Karl Gentles, a leader in the Maricopa County Democratic Party and co-chair of the Black Engagement Committee. “It’s showing up in the number of individuals who are running for office or seeking appointments.” Neither the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office nor the Arizona Secretary of State track the number of Black candidates who will be on ballots this November, but the trend is clear. “Not only are you seeing more Black people running, but they’re winning,” said former House Minority leader Reginald Bolding. “You’ve had Black people elected to mayor in Sierra Vista and Tempe. You’ve got Black people on the Avondale City Council, the Chandler and Tempe City Councils … You have Black people in elected leadership throughout the state of Arizona.” It’s fair to wonder why, but there’s no clear answer. Protests, new residents could be catalysts Part of it certainly is tied to the summer of 2020 when the deaths of Dion Johnson, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor rocked the nation. The protests activated an impulse to get involved, which otherwise might have stayed dormant. “There are so many...