Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (Photo: Facebook)
Jalen McKee-Rodriguez was elected city councilor for District 2 of San Antonio, Texas. He is believed to be the first black, gay man to win political office in the state.
The second round of municipal elections took place on Saturday. McKee-Rodriguez convincingly defeated incumbent Jada Andrews-Sullivan, winning 63% of the vote to 37% for Andrews-Sullivan.
“A lot of people have said that District 2 wouldn’t be ready for a candidate like me,” McKee-Rodriguez, 26, told KSAT 12, “would District 2 be ready for a young gay candidate? is he ready for a young black gay man to be elected anywhere to any post?
“I think what we’ve proven and what the community has proven is that everyone deserves to be represented. And if you have the right motivations, if you have the right passions, and if you are a good listener, people will trust that.
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Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, 26, has worked for the past three years as a math teacher at James Madison High School. He also runs the thelosereacher.com website. where he shares learning resources for students, usually in the form of fun and informative memes. He is also an LGBTQ activist and a former board member of Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio.
For six months in 2019, he also worked as a communications director for the woman he beaten on Saturday.
McKee-Rodriguez resigned his post at the end of 2019 in Andrews-Sullivan’s office due to “retaliation” he faced after speaking to the city councilor about problems with the treatment of another member of the personal towards him as an openly gay man, including the way he dressed.
Andrews-Sullivan later acknowledged some management issues with an older member of his staff, but denied it had anything to do with McKee-Rodriguez’s identity.
McKee-Rodriguez has also taken to social media in recent weeks to say he has heard from local pastors on the East Side of San Antonio telling members of their congregation that a vote for him would be a “sin.” “. Pastors denied this, saying they encouraged people to vote Andrews-Sullivan solely on the basis of her record as a city councilor.
During the campaign, McKee-Rodriguez said his priorities if elected will be community safety, infrastructure and protections for the working class.
Yesterday, when it became clear that he had definitely won, McKee-Rodriguez tweeted his thanks to her husband, Nathan, his family and everyone who helped make him win.
We did it! Thank you to my wonderful, supportive husband and family, to the amazing team who supported me every step of the way, to every friend who supported me and to every voter who trusted me. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/29MwHaQq8I
– Elected City Councilor Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (@thelosereacher) June 6, 2021
This is Texas. A lot of people like to pretend it isn’t, but it is.
* Also fanning me from the MAGNIFICENT of this couple. https://t.co/1JInbqDsTQ
– Sara Cress (@saracress) June 6, 2021
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Among those who praised McKee-Rodriguez was Pennsylvania Representative Malcolm Kenyatta – another black, gay, and Democratic lawmaker who is currently running as a senator. Kenyatta tweeted: “Happy [email protected] Congratulations.”
Thank you so much! ❤️ https://t.co/hUXgMicZy9
– Elected City Councilor Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (@thelosereacher) June 7, 2021
McKee-Rodriguez was supported by the Victory Fund, which helps raise funds for LGBTQ candidates.
HISTORY MADE! Our star candidate Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (@thelosereacher) has just become the first gay black man elected to a position in the state of Texas. Congratulations, Jalen! # Pride2021 pic.twitter.com/allv8l5Sob
– LGBTQ Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) June 6, 2021
In a statement, Victory Fund President and CEO Annise Parker said, “Jalen broke a lavender ceiling in Texas, and it came as right-wing state lawmakers target LGBTQ people and people of color with fanatical policies aimed at rallying their extremist policies. based.
“Jalen’s victory is a rejection of the homophobic and racist politics so fashionable in Austin and it will inspire more black LGBTQ leaders to run and win.”
