A Millennial Mayor Rises in Delco

Joi Washington, Media’s new mayor / Photograph by Kyle Kielinski

When Media mayor Bob McMahon announced last year that he’d be stepping down from the seat after 33 years, one big question immediately followed: Who could fill his shoes? That answer came in November, when 39-year-old Joi Washington, a freelance graphic designer, won the mayoral election resoundingly. Washington sat down with us just weeks before she took office to talk legacy, imposter syndrome, being a Black woman in politics, and … Spider-Man.

So where do you find yourself today in Media?
I’m in my house, working on a freelance design project. It’s an illustrative book cover. I’m also applying for some other full-time jobs just to keep myself supported.

You already have another job coming down the pike, I think. You’re adding something else to that?
[Laughs] Yeah, the mayor job is part-time, but will definitely be whatever I make of it.

You’re originally from Philly, right? How did you end up in Media?
I’m from Germantown and was living in Andorra, but I had a job in Media. My rent was going up, and the bus-to-Regional-Rail plan was just getting on my nerves. So in 2013 I ended up moving to Media. I also met my husband there, at that job.

Sounds like, at least so far, that move worked out pretty well for your life.
That’s very true.

Before all of that, you studied at Moore College of Art and Design. How does one go from an arts degree to politics? It doesn’t seem like a common path.
I’ve taken crazy side quests throughout my life. In this case, it was after the 2016 election. I was on Facebook, not knowing what to do about anything. I saw — and then reached out to — the local Democratic committee and started canvassing for them, and then started to get more involved with local politics in Media. I was first elected to borough council in 2022. And now I’m mayor.

What was it about canvassing that made you say, “Oh, maybe I want to do this more professionally?”
I was talking to neighbors about what they wanted to see in their neighborhoods, and that’s when it started to click for me. A lot of people were concerned about pedestrian safety. So my goal became increasing pedestrian safety. The best way to do that was to run for borough council, and kind of learn how the town works. During my time on council we approved traffic calming measures on Jefferson Street, and I’m proud of that.

We’re about the same age, and I think that our generation, especially people who live in the city, value things like pedestrian safety — and more broadly, considerations like urbanism and public spaces — in a way that maybe other generations haven’t.
I think Media gives people a nostalgia for the closeness they might have felt growing up. We all think about how close we used to be with our neighbors, our friends growing up. Some of us have lost that, but Media has these really great areas where people can connect, with either public spaces or with hangout spots like our bars, restaurants, and parks. Protecting those elements really brings us all back together, in a way.

That’s something Media in particular has really captured over the past 40 years, transforming into a place with a really special small-town feel. So how do you keep that momentum going?
By continuing to talk to my constituents — well, I don’t even want to call them constituents. They’re my neighbors! And making sure that they still feel heard, that we keep the things going that people like, like improving public spaces. It’s also important that I keep a relationship going with Mayor Bob McMahon, asking him for advice about his first year.

McMahon’s shadow is really long in that borough. How do you step in at this moment and honor what he’s done, but carve out your own legacy?
That’s a great question. First off, I think it’s really important to keep a lot of the parades that he developed, like the Memorial Day parade and the Veterans Day parade, which bring neighbors together. Beyond that, it’s working with the community and — this is something he’s told me — just being present. So I plan to be visible, friendly. The embodiment of my name.

It does seem like its own sort of legacy to live up to when your name is Joi.
[Laughs] I’m not allowed to be bad.

But on that legacy front: You’re a Black woman, and the first Black mayor and first female mayor of Media. This feels to me like a shift in a community that’s still mostly white. What does it feel like to you?
I really take that personally. I received more than 77 percent of the vote in this community. They trust me, and I take that to heart, because it’s really helping me be ready to deliver for what people chose. But yeah, the legacy is definitely kind of weighing on me. I always think of the quote “With great power comes great responsibility.” It comes back down to wanting to make sure I’m still the friendly neighborhood mayor and making sure that people know that what I care about is what they care about.

And what does that look like right now in Media?
They really care about their hometown. They can go out with their kids and walk their dogs. They want to make sure the trash, recycling, and composting are picked up on time. They like to feel safe; a lot of my neighbors chose this area because it has been so safe. And that’s again thanks to Bob McMahon and previous councils for investing in public safety to turn it around from what Media used to be 40 years ago.

Joi Washington at the Pennsylvania State Capitol / Photograph by Lucia Unger

State and national politics are fraught right now; lots of politicians are resigning, or trying to lie low, stay out of the fray. But you decided to lean in and increase your role in and exposure to politics. What about this moment made you say, Now is the right time to run for a bigger office?
I was definitely in a mood after the 2024 election. I was like, Wow, can I really do this if the country completely rejected a Black woman president? I had some thoughts. But I told myself, Don’t listen to that part of yourself. I ended up putting myself out there after talking with a couple of my confidantes, and they helped shake the imposter syndrome off me.

It’s a Saturday in, let’s say, May, and you have nothing on your calendar. How do you spend your day in Media?
I’m going to take a nice walk to Glen Providence Park. Maybe go to [brewery and restaurant] Sterling Pig, then walk that off back home. As I get older, I have to tell myself to move more and to enjoy what I am close to. I’m an introvert most of the time, so I force myself to get up and out.

Introvert is not a word that is often applied to most mayors.
I think of being an introvert as a badge of strength rather than a weakness. I enjoy listening more. Listening to people is better than just jumping in. I find it easier to collaborate, because then I get to hear everyone’s thoughts, and then ask questions. I can add my own bit after hearing what everyone else has to say.

Your role as mayor is the political head of the borough, but you’ve also essentially become Media’s number one pitch person. I live in South Philly. What’s your elevator pitch for moving to Media?
Do you like quiet moments? Those moments happen after nine o’clock here. But if you like a vibrant nightlife, then you’re also in luck. You can find comedy and concerts; you can get a beer anytime — or whatever your drink is. I think the holidays are the best times to experience Media; some bars and restaurants do up their holiday decor — you’re stepping right into a Christmas tree ornament. We actually had a QVC+ Christmas movie filmed here a few years ago. There’s something for everyone. And you can go through multiple weeks of trying new restaurants every night.

Okay, so now imagine it’s 2059, and you’ve been mayor for as long as your predecessor. What do you hope Media will look like then?
I’m hoping that Media looks a little bit more walkable. Maybe we add another pedestrian area. I don’t want to change what people love about this town. Hopefully the Trader Joe’s will still be here. And we’ll have a bit more affordable housing.

You hit on one thing there: affordable housing. When a community like Media has a glow-up like it has, it drives up housing prices to the point where the community is much different than it was even five or 10 years ago. The median price for a single-family home in Media has gone up 36 percent in just five years. How do you ensure that the average person — someone like you, who moved there for a job — can still afford to live in the place that they work?
I plan to work with council on affordable housing and zoning updates to allow different types of housing so it’s not just, you know, McMansions being built. One of the reasons I ran for office is because I don’t want to pull the ladder up. People like me who start in an apartment, people who are renters — these people should have a voice on town councils, a seat at the table.

One last thing. Over the course of our conversation, you’ve mentioned side quests and quoted from Spider-Man, which speaks to something I’ve read about you: You’re interested in gaming and also … maybe comic books?
I’m a bit of a geek. That’s part of my background. I wear that as a badge of honor, because it makes me different. You can be a geek like myself and still run for public office. People from all different types of backgrounds should be represented in politics.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Published as “Meet the New Boss” in the February 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.