GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. – With a vacant seat on the Grosse Pointe Park City Council following a members resignation, Darci McConnell made history being sworn in as the council’s first Black member.
“It’s still a little surreal because I’ve always been the person in the background,” Darci McConnell said.
For the past 17 years, McConnell has been a resident of Gross Pointe Park with a career as a journalist. But after being appointed to the council, she’s motivated to step to the forefront with several goals already in mind.
“The need to invest in infrastructure, and certainly making sure that we’re doing everything we can as it relates to COVID-19,” McConnell said of her goals for the council. “Because of my passion for mentoring, youth and recreation is important to me.”
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Her new colleagues are more than happy to have her on their side.
“She was the unanimous selection and I have to say it was a very competitive field. We had interviewed 13 people and they were all outstanding -- but she was the stand out,” said council member Lauri Read.
Council member Vikas Relam said, “She is Black. Is that why she is qualified? No. She as an extensive background and experience doing what we need to do on council.”
McConnell was sworn in Thursday and said she’s more than ready to get to work.
“Some people have given me some tasks to look at, some things that they want to change here, so I’m just doing my homework and listening more than anything else,” she said.