Milwaukee City Wire

Born months before the dawn of the 21st Century, Wisconsin Assembly Rep. Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee), the new Assembly Democratic Assistant Leader, says he's aware of how his youth fits into the politics and history of the state.

Still a teenager when he was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly less than three years ago, Haywood remains the youngest person serving in the Assembly. Now 22, Haywood took to social media earlier this week announce his latest milestones, taking the place of Rep. Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) who is running for the state Senate.

"Yesterday, I was elected to serve as the new Assembly Democratic Assistant Leader," Haywood said in his Tuesday, Dec. 21 Facebook and Twitter posts. "This moment was historic not only because I am the youngest to hold the position; but because I am the first African American."

In his Facebook post, Haywood went further and said what "this moment" actually means for him and for the state.

"Not only does this reflect the recent growth in diversity of our caucus but we now have leadership that reflects the diversity of the people of Wisconsin," Haywood continued in his Facebook post.

Haywood also offered his congratulations to state Rep. Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) on her election to lead Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly, and his thanks to Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), who is scheduled to step down as minority leader on Jan. 10.

"You both have lead our caucus through some tough times but took us to a better place," Haywood said in his Facebook post. "Thank you for your dedication, guidance and strength."

Haywood represents what he calls Wisconsin's "sensational" 16th Assembly District, located entirely within the City of Milwaukee, and includes much of downtown and Marquette University's campus, Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Marquette Interchange.

Before entering politics, Haywood, a Milwaukee native, was president of the City of Milwaukee Youth Council, representing the council's sixth aldermanic district, according to his legislative bio.

He was 19 in August 2018 when he won that year's five-way Democrat Primary and then the following November's general election in November 2018, making him the youngest person sworn into the Wisconsin Assembly the following January. He was the second 19-year-old to be elected to represent the 16th District, decades after Democrat Rep. Michael Elconin was elected to the seat in 1972, the Milwaukee Sentinel reported at the time of Haywood's election.

"Being young is going to play well with some people, but there will also be people who doubt me because of my age, which is fair — it's new," Haywood told the Milwaukee Sentinel between his classes at Cardinal Stritch University.

"My age is my biggest asset," Haywood, then a second-year business major, said.

He was the youngest African American ever elected to state office in Wisconsin and he was the Democrat party's current sergeant at arms at his election to be assistant Democratic leader this week.

"I am very excited about using the opportunities this leadership role provides to continue work on the issues that greatly impact the people of the 16th Assembly District and our state," he said in his Facebook post.