Millennial Joi Washington will soon replace longtime Media mayor

Media is set to ring in the new year with several firsts: its first Black mayor, its first female mayor and its first new mayor since 1992.

Joi Washington, 39, will replace fellow Democrat Bob McMahon as the borough’s new mayor after defeating Republican Kevin Kellogg in November with 77% of the vote. Although new to the mayor’s office, Washington has been a borough council member since 2022. She is also a freelance illustrator and graphic designer.

Born and raised in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Joi in a recent interview said she moved to Media for a previous job and got into politics after listening to neighbors’ concerns about pedestrian and road safety. To that end, she said one of her proudest achievements as a borough council member was the creation of a “traffic calming circle” on Jefferson Street.

Looking ahead, Washington said she hopes to tackle issues like housing affordability, zoning-code reform and road safety.