Longtime Madison and Middleton community leader April Kigeya announced her candidacy for Dane County Supervisor on Wednesday, looking to represent newly created District 9 which will encompass parts of Middleton’s and Madison’s west side.
“I just felt like it was time. I’ve been in the community for a little over 20 years and I figured it was time to take it to the next level and run for a County seat,” Kigeya tells Madison365. “Hopefully, I can represent a lot of people who don’t get their voices heard often in public policy.”
Kigeya is an outreach specialist for the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, and a special projects manager with The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness. She has served as an intern for United States Sen. Russ Feingold and is currently the co-chair of the Middleton Police Commission. She has also served as commissioner for the Dane County Equal Opportunities Commission, according to a press release, and has been with the City of Madison Affirmative Action Commission.
“I’ve been involved in many different things over the year from academia to health to activism work inside Madison and Middleton. So I think that’s a unique trait that I have,” says Kigeya, who has four children, two currently attending college and two who are students in the Madison Metropolitan School District.
“This district [9] covers parts of Madison and parts of Middleton, so I think that I’m unique in that I have experience in both city’s politics and in both areas,” she adds.
The boundaries for County Board districts have been adjusted based on population changes that have occurred over the last decade and District 9 is one of three newly created and as yet unrepresented districts.
“District 9 is over by Greenway Cross, High Point Road, Blackhawk Neighborhood in Middleton. It’s the west side of Middleton and part of the west side of Madison,” says Kigeya, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is currently pursuing an MBA.
Kigeya is also vice president of The Flock, and co-founder of Mingo Ladies, and Featherstone Flamingos – supporter groups for Forward Madison FC, Madison’s professional soccer team. Her volunteer and civic work include numerous years on the board of directors of various Dane County non-profits like the Overture Center Advisory Board, Wisconsin Literacy, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Dane Dances, and Pathways of Wisconsin.
What will be her campaign issues?
“For me, three things come to mind. Public safety, K-12 education and the environment. I think those three things span over both cities and are important issues that we need to focus on,” she says.
Kigeya lists early supporters of her candidacy that include State Reps. Dianne Hesselbein, Francesca Hong, and Shelia Stubbs; former Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and wife, Jessica; Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett; County Supervisors Holly Hatcher and Anthony Gray; Madison School Board member Maia Pearson; Middleton City Councilor Emily Kuhn; Madsion Alder Jael Currie, and former Madison Alder Shiva Bidar.
The election is in April 2022. If Kigeya has more than one opponent there will be a primary in February. Kigeya’s website, www.AprilKigeya.com, and her campaign Facebook page will be live on Monday, Nov. 1, she says.
