Joi Washington, a born and raised Philly native, will soon be sworn in to replace fellow Democrat Bob McMahon after his three-decade career as mayor of Media. Washington has been a member of the Media Borough Council since 2022, and this election season she ran uncontested in the Democratic primaries and defeated Republican Kevin Kellogg in a landslide (77%-33%).
Washington is both the first woman and the first person of color to ever be elected as Media’s mayor. In a town where Black representation is low — only 3% of residents are African American — this milestone is even more impactful.
“I feel an extreme responsibility,” Washington said. “As a woman and a woman of color, sometimes I just talk myself out of things. I think having that support really helped me step into that power, because anyone is qualified for these positions, all you have to do is raise your hand, show some interest.”
As a child, Washington was a self proclaimed art kid, and doesn’t recall being overly interested in politics. She credits programs like PBS, Nickelodeon Kids, and Carmen Sandiego for sparking her curiosity for change. Washington’s passion for public safety and improving her home was what got her into local politics.
“I was tired of going on Facebook and fighting people and then looking like a jerk,” Washington said. “You get to voice your opinions on things that matter in a more tangible way with the government, it’s definitely more helpful because you’re actually doing the work to change things.”
Washington’s campaign was very transit oriented. Media’s public transportation system and walkability is what drew her to the town in the first place.
“I couldn’t afford a car for the longest time, so I really appreciated not needing a car to get to most of the things that I needed in Media,” Washington said. “I just don’t want to forget the people who use public transportation. Even though we can’t fund public transportation, we can still be a voice for people who use it. I want to make sure that it’s safe for them to take it.”
Media’s walkable layout also lends itself to a sizable conversation about pedestrian safety.
Washington mentions her time in the borough, where upon hearing and understanding citizen complaints about speeding, a traffic circle was installed on Jefferson street, which reduced the issue.
“I first got into local politics by having an interest in improving pedestrian safety, so I wanted to make sure that we put in some more work towards making people feel safe outside of the car,” Washington said.
Washington has adopted a program called Vision Zero, an initiative created and proposed by the Delco planning department to increase pedestrian safety.
The Vision Zero website reports there have been 883 cases of serious injury and 130 fatalities due to various crashes in Delaware County from 2018-2022. There have been 68 concerns reported so far.
Aside from local politics, Washington works as a freelance artist and graphic designer, she attended Moore College of Art for her primary schooling. She designed pins, buttons and banners for her own campaign, and some of her recent work includes branding for a new bubble tea shop and the cover for a young adult book, “Becoming Amani.”
“I like that I have that creative side because everything is just so by the book on the government side, I just feel like I have a better balance when I have creative projects to work on,” Washington said.
Washington’s artisanal background helps her connect with Media’s thriving network of small businesses.
“I love the community. All of the business owners down there all know each other. A lot of the business owners are my clients and vice versa, my family and I are constantly eating and shopping down in the Media borough,” Christine Kirnos, Haven parent and owner of The Cat Hospital of Media, said. “We all support and look out for each other and try to elevate each other’s businesses.”
Media’s government has certainly made strides to transform the town into what it is today, but there is still work to be done. With Media’s growing popularity, rent and housing affordability is an issue for optimistic homeowners and entrepreneurs. Washington mentioned her plans to rectify this in a WHYY Q&A.
“When I was growing up in Delaware County, Media was not a destination,” Kirnos said. There might have been a bar or two, it would be really dead. But now there’s people all the time. There’s so many shops and restaurants. I think what the leadership in Media has done for businesses over the last 20-25 years has really made it better for businesses to operate in Media. I think the downside to Media for a lot of businesses is the rent.
Throughout her upcoming term, Washington hopes to continue working with Visit Media, enhancing all the tourist offerings the picturesque town has to offer. She looks forward to administrating events like Dining Under the Stars, and Media’s 250th anniversary next year.
Washington both completes her tenure as part of the borough council and is officially inaugurated as Media’s mayor on Jan. 5.
“I feel honored that the residents chose me at 77% of the vote, they really did trust me,” Washington said. “I’m looking forward to delivering on issues that matter to them and bringing Media forward into the future.”
