San Francisco Democrats elected city native and former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant as chair of the local party. She is the first Black, first trans person, and first drag queen to fill this position.
Additionally, this now makes Mahogany as one of the democrat party’s highest-ranking transgender officials in the state and country.
For the past four years, Mahogany, who identifies as queer and nonbinary, has been a member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, helping the city retain its queer identity. She also worked as a legislative aide to Supervisor Matt Hanley, founded Compton’s Transgender Cultural District, served as President of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, and is co-owner of The Stud, San Francisco’s oldest surviving gay bar.
Members of the San Francisco Democrats decide who becomes party chair and elected Mahogany to the leadership role on a unanimous voice vote at their May 26 meeting. No one else sought to become chair.
Following the vote, Mahogany said she is “very excited to be in this new position now.”
“It is not lost one me how powerful it is to have a Black trans person leading the San Francisco Democratic Party,” Mahogany said.
She also pledged to engage with marginalized communities left out of the political process on a regular basis and not just during contested elections.
“I don’t think that is how we build a bigger tent, not how we build a collective party,” she said.
Democratic County Central Committee member Shanell Williams, a bisexual woman who serves as president of the City College of San Francisco board, nominated Mahogany to be chair.
“You lead with grace and such skill and intelligence,” Williams said. “I am just so excited for the future of our party. I look forward to work with you as chair.”
Read more at The Bay Area Reporter.
