New Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner wants to give a voice to Black and Brown communities

Yumeka Brown was elected as Commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in November. Photo provided by Yumeka Brown.
Yumeka Brown was elected as Commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in November. Photo provided by Yumeka Brown.

New Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner wants to give a voice to Black and Brown communities

By Tia Carol Jones

Yumeka Brown was elected as a Commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in November. Brown was sworn in for her six-year term on Tuesday, Dec. 6th. Brown was prompted to run for the position after her son contracted the environmental waterborne illness, blastomycosis. Brown believes serving as a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner is a way for her to turn her pain into purpose and a way to look at giving a voice to Black and Brown communities.

“While MWRD, of course, wasn’t responsible for this illness, it just gave me an opportunity to pull the bandage off some of the environmental injustices and risk factors that we’re seeing in communities of color,” she said.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District was created in 1889 by the Illinois General Assembly, is a special service agency that is responsible for processing the wastewater and all of the stormwater in Cook County. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners are elected at-large and set policy for the agency. There are nine Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners that serve County-wide. Every two years, three Commissioners are elected for six year terms.

In her professional career, Brown has spent the last 20 years working in non-profit organizations, which include the American Bar Association, Alzheimer’s Association, and she is the Senior Director of Governance and Operations with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Those experiences have enabled her to work closely with board of directors of nonprofit organizations and CEOs to create boards. She also knows how to govern. Brown also serves as Clerk for the Village of Matteson, a position she has held for five years.

“Yumeka Brown is the breath of fresh air in which the MWRD will benefit from. I am thrilled and confident that she will serve the residents of Cook County in a spirit of excellence,” Calvin Jordan, Rich Township Democratic Committeeman, said in a release.

Brown has spent her first couple of weeks in office setting the foundation, hiring staff and learning more about the internal processes of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, as well as getting to know the other Commissioners.

Brown is also crafting her plan for her first 100 days in office. She wants to do a listening tour to connect with stakeholders, which includes Constituents, Trustees and Mayors, especially of towns where there have been water issues, as well as other Elected Officials.

“We’re making those initial contacts with stakeholders in those communities to partner to see how MWRD can help them, provide resources and also to listen to see what are some of the things they want from the agency to support them, as well,” she said.

Brown is very excited to have a seat at the table. She is looking forward to being part of some of the committees within the Board, including Affirmative Action and Public Health and Awareness.

For more information about the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, visit mwrd.org.

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