This month, we tackled the topic of voting rights and the continued obstacles facing minority communities in the U.S. Our event featured Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton (D) of Delaware and Dr. Debbie Harrington, 2nd Vice Chair of the Delaware Democratic Party. The session was moderated by CommonBondz Board Member Finale Norton. Scroll down to read their bios.
If you missed this conversation, watch below!
Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton grew up in the 26th district, where she lives with her husband, mother, and sisters. She attended Gauger-Cobbs Middle School and graduated from the Charter School of Wilmington. She is an alumna of the University of Delaware and holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Asian Studies. She has formally studied Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish.
While at the University of Delaware, Rep. Wilson-Anton was actively involved in several campus organizations where she held leadership positions, including the Muslim Student Association, Students for Justice in Palestine, and her sorority Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc.
She worked for two years as a legislative fellow in the state legislature, and an additional year as a legislative aide for the 26th and 27th districts. In these capacities, she researched legislation, staffed committee meetings, and communicated with residents and helped them with a variety of issues. This experience gave her first-hand exposure to the issues and concerns of her fellow community members.
As a state representative, Rep. Wilson-Anton is fighting for social, economic, and racial justice for all Delawareans.
Dr. Debbie Harrington is a passionate mother, experienced leader, community and education advocate and a very proud veteran. She has a doctorate in education with an emphasis in Innovation and Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University. She is a retired U.S. Army Colonel with 25 years of executive leadership in multi-national strategic transportation and logistics planning, systems integration, and organizational structure.
After military retirement, Dr. Harrington became the Senior Administrator where she led major construction projects, managed multiple ministry and community development initiatives and provided oversight and management to progress the church financially.
She later became the Deputy Director for the Division for the Visually Impaired where she challenged the Division to reform education and employment services through research and development.
She is politically motivated to affect laws and policies that develop the strength of people and communities. She is the 2nd Vice Chair for Delaware Democratic Party and has been a political candidate for State Representative who believes in people first. Her run for public office was to advance social issues such as, voter protection, raised minimum wages, gun sense laws, universal pre-k, veterans health and increased resources for the disability community. Dr, Harrington is a strong advocate for our community with an extraordinary record of successful leadership.
Dr. Harrington serves in several organizations to help build community capacity including Delaware State University Board of Trustees, Delaware Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Alpha Alpha Tau Omega of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Ready to Run Delaware,, Middletown Police Advisory Board, and Special Education Strategic Planning Advisory Council.After several years, She serves on the Health and Welfare sub-committee of Delaware African American Task Force to study and make recommendations to eliminate health disparities. She turned over her seat as a State Commissioner where she was able to influence employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Dr. Harrington is one of nine children, originally from a small community in Portsmouth, VA before she left to join the military and later settled in Middletown, DE. She is married to Robert Harrington and the mother of two beautiful young women, Christy and Elizabeth, and one handsome young man, Jeffery.