WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A pair of women are making history in their communities.
This month, voters in Suffolk and Williamsburg elected Black women to serve on their respective city councils for the first time.
Ayanna Williams, of Williamsburg, and Ebony Wright, of Suffolk, are now history makers in Hampton Roads.
"It's an absolute honor to have the opportunity to serve Williamsburg,” said Williams, a junior student at William & Mary. “I’m very excited for what the next couple of years have in store.”
Williams, who is studying government in college, will also become the first currently enrolled undergraduate to serve on the Williamsburg City Council.
The Richmond native says service is an expectation in her family. She comes from a long line of educators, and her uncle worked with the Williamsburg Fire Department for 25 years. She says she and her family spent much time in Williamsburg, before eventually deciding to attend William & Mary.
She wants to invest in public education and make housing more affordable.
“People across the board, whether it's students, residents, or service workers in our community, want to be represented well and [they] want to feel they have a seat at the table for the issues that matter to them,” she said.
While most college students are not considering running for public office, Williams says she wants to ensure everyone has a seat at the table.
Williams says multiple classmates helped her on this campaign, and in terms of managing her time between her studies and elected office, she says Google Calendar has become her "best friend."
She said students at William & Mary, for instance, make up a large portion of the area’s population and that their voices should be heard, though her goal is to represent everyone.
"I believe the greatest superpower you can have is the ability to listen,” she said.
In terms of making history, Williams said she hopes to honor the women who came before her and make them proud.
"It's a huge responsibility,” she said. “And my goal is to honor all those who came before me and paved the way for me to even have this opportunity."
"I'm proud, and I'm looking forward to seeing her do great things in Williamsburg,” Wright said when asked about Williams. “As for me, it's still a surreal moment, but I believe our local government is moving in the right direction."
Wright didn't know she could be the first Black woman elected to Suffolk City Council when she decided to run for office. She says she’s honored to reach the milestone, but she was surprised a city where women make up more than half of the population had never elected a Black woman to the city council.
"The impetus is on me to make sure that I am leading by example and ensure that I am not the last,” said Wright.
Originally from California, Wright moved to Virginia after joining the Navy at age 17, and her father had to sign off on her to serve because of her age. She’s now worked for the federal government for 20 years.
"I just like finding solutions to problems. Making sure people have what they need to bring their absolute best into whatever field they are in every day," said Wright.
She and her husband of 25 years have three adult children.
Wright says she wants to improve the city's infrastructure, boost pay for first responders, and increase funding for education. But she also knows she's setting an example.
"It's a moment, but I want to make sure that I don't stay in that moment too long,” said Wright. “Because as we have been taught, because we are the first there is a heaviness to making sure we set the example, making sure we get it right, make sure we represent well."