‘It's Time to Just Give a Different View': Election Marks Historic First for Hawthorne

The 2022 Election was one for the history books in Hawthorne.

City Clerk Dayna Williams-Hunter, Councilwoman Katrina Manning and City Treasurer Marie Poindexter-Hornback were all elected, marking the first time three women of color were elected to city office in the same election cycle in Hawthorne's 100-year history.

They became fast friends on the campaign trail, heavily relying on each other to ultimately win.

“Having three black women elected speaks to where the city wants to go,” Williams-Hunter said.

Williams-Hunter’s background is in public relations. Poindexter-Hornback is the accountant, keeping an eye on campaign costs. Manning brought political acumen, having run for office twice before.

"It wasn't easy," Manning said. "A lot of women of color are not provided the same resources as other women are."

City Treasurer Poindexter-Hornback said a Black female perspective can be especially valuable when tackling today's most challenging policy issues. Healthcare, supporting families in inflationary times, a woman's right to choose, just to name a few.

“You need to be open and flexible. I mean, things change every day, and you have to have patience,” Poindexter-Hornback said.

Poindexter-Hornback is the first Black woman to be elected Hawthorne treasurer.

“We've had men in these roles forever. It's time to just give a different view and different perspective, you know?” Williams-Hunter said. 

And it's not just their own political futures they're looking forward to. All three women say they're thinking about the next generation.

“To show my daughter. like, ‘Hey, my mom did this. She made it,’” Poindexter-Hornback said. 

Correction: An earlier version of this story indicated Hawthorne elected a Black woman to the city council for the first time in history during the last election cycle. In 2011, Olivia J. Valentine was the first Black woman elected to a Hawthorne City Council seat.