Hello Friends,

My name is Leah Mills-Chapman and I am running for Washtenaw County Commissioner - District 5 (Ypsilanti Township and Augusta Township) because I bring a unique perspective shaped by personal experiences. As a Clinical Therapist, I've studied about the issues that people face when they lack access and opportunities within our society, but my real understanding regarding many of these issues, especially in this county, come from living through them. I have faced challenges like being a single parent needing financial and housing assistance; my family and I have been survivors of the gun violence that continue to plague this county; and I have had to “scratch and survive” due to being a low wage earner in this wealthy county, while working for the county and literally risking my life while doing so. This harsh reality, at various points of my life, had a negative impact on my mental health, as it has had on the mental health of many. So I honor the daily struggles of the citizens in District 5, and I desire to build a coalition of people to make certain that our struggles are no longer overlooked.

Washtenaw County is the 2nd WEALTHIEST COUNTY IN MICHIGAN and yet there still remains a startling reality of poverty and homelessness that hinders the ability for many to thrive. We cannot afford to have four more years of the “The Haves and The Have Nots” disguised as the infamous “23 Divide”. We need a Commissioner who understands through their own lived experiences just how deeply unfair this reality is for the Eastern side of Washtenaw County; We deserve a person that truly cares about how the various inequities experienced in District 5 is causing the financial, mental, and familial breakdowns seen on this side of town; The citizens are screaming aloud the desire to have one who is willing to sit with them, listen to them, and genuinely link arms with our community and fight for equitable opportunities. We no longer need a politician that is working to grow the county portfolio or enhance their personal profits! District 5 desperately needs a public servant that does the work for the people and that servant is ME…

LEAH MILLS-CHAPMAN