Madison Ald. Arvina Martin will resign from the Madison Common Council effective May 25 to focus on her family, personal life and new job as executive director of Emerge Wisconsin. Martin represents District 11 in Madison.
Martin was first elected to the Common Council in April 2017 and was re-elected in April 2019 and April 2021. She was the Common Council Vice President from April 20, 2021, to April 19, 2022. Martin is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and the Council’s first and only Ho-Chunk member.
“It’s been a pleasure to serve all of you and the community over these past 5 years,” Martin said in a statement. “Serving my neighbors and the city I love has been the greatest incredible honor. We have made some important improvements in the city from redesigning our flag, so that we can visually represent our city in the most appropriate and respectful way to updating our historic preservation ordinances and piloting the CARES Program. It’s been a gift to have been a part of these initiatives and to have served my constituents as their elected representative.”
“The past two years have been hard for all of us. From the pandemic keeping us all at home, to kids doing schooling virtually and other demands, I know so many of us have been stretched to our limits. Heading into the rest of 2022, my priorities have shifted. I want to focus on my family and personal life. I also have a new job that is keeping me very busy recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office. Fortunately, this work means I get to continue to strive to improve the city of Madison and the state of Wisconsin every day. The work I do at Emerge Wisconsin will help create a pipeline of strong, effective leaders that will usher our state into the future. I look forward to doing that work and continuing to improve our communities. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to lead,” added Alder Martin.
Martin started a new role as executive director of Emerge Wisconsin on Feb. 22 where she oversees the strategy and operations of the organization.
“Alder Martin has been an invaluable member of the Common Council, serving her district thoughtfully and balancing different viewpoints with grace and empathy,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “As the Council’s first and only Ho-Chunk member, she has provided an important connection with the Ho-Chunk Nation and a unique perspective on policies and projects. I will miss her presence on the Council and want to thank her for her years of service.”
District 11 residents are invited to apply to fill the vacancy for the remainder of Martin’s term, which ends on April 18, 2023.
