Dylan Wegela
{{short description|American politician from Michigan}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Dylan Wegela
| district = 26th
| predecessor = Jim Ellison
| party = Democratic
| state_house = Michigan
| residence = Garden City, Michigan
| alma_mater = Eastern Michigan University (BA)
| website = {{URL|https://housedems.com/dylan-wegela/|House website}}
{{URL|https://dylanwegela.wpcomstaging.com/|Campaign website}}
| termstart = January 1, 2023
| image = Dylan Wegela Capitol Candid (cropped).jpg
| caption = Wegela in 2023
}}
Dylan Wegela is an American politician from Garden City, Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served in the Michigan House of Representatives for District 26 since 2023.{{cite web |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Dylan_Wegela |access-date=2023-02-16 |title=Dylan Wegela |website=Ballotpedia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209230058/https://ballotpedia.org/Dylan_Wegela |archive-date=2023-02-09 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.michiganradio.org/politics-government/2023-02-10/michigan-house-passes-tax-plan-amid-republican-shouts-and-opposition?_amp=true |access-date=2023-02-16 |first1=Colin |last1=Jackson |title=Michigan House passes tax plan amid Republican shouts and opposition |website=Michigan Radio |date=2023-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216013706/https://www.michiganradio.org/politics-government/2023-02-10/michigan-house-passes-tax-plan-amid-republican-shouts-and-opposition?_amp=true |archive-date=2023-02-16 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://jacobin.com/2022/09/dylan-wegela-michigan-state-representative-teachers-union-strike-arizona |access-date=2023-02-16 |first1=Peter |last1=Lucas |title=How an Incoming Michigan State Representative Went From the Picket Line to the Ballot Box |website=Jacobin |date=2022-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216040053/https://jacobin.com/2022/09/dylan-wegela-michigan-state-representative-teachers-union-strike-arizona |archive-date=2023-02-16 |url-status=live}}
Early life and education
Wegela grew up in Livonia, Michigan.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-19 |title=Meet Dylan |url=https://dylanwegela.wpcomstaging.com/meet-dylan/ |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=Dylan Wegela for State Representative |language=en-US}} His parents both worked for the Danny's Foods grocery store during his childhood. Later, his dad opened a bakery and a business that owns and operates vending machines, while his mom worked at a factory. His grandparents worked at Ford and General Motors, and were members of UAW.
He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University.
Early career
File:Dylan Wegela (40915475985).jpg strike in 2018.]]
Before running for the Michigan House, Wegela spent 7 years as a teacher, union organizer, and education activist, living in South Korea, Arizona, and Michigan.
Wegela "cut [his] teeth" organizing for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign in 2016. Later, he was part of the "Red for Ed" teacher strike wave in Arizona, where he founded Arizona Educators United and secured over $400 million for public education. He then became president of his union local, the Cartwright Education Association.
State legislature
= House of Representatives =
Wegela was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives on November 8, 2022.{{Cite web |title=Michigan State House - District 26 Election Results {{!}} Detroit Free Press |url=https://www.freep.com/elections/results/race/2022-11-08-state_house-MI-23846/ |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=www.freep.com |language=en}} He was reelected in 2024.{{cite web|title=2024 Michigan Election Results|url=https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=November 24, 2024|date=November 22, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=November 24, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241124174348/https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024}}
Personal life
Wegela resides with his wife Anna, a social worker, in Garden City. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.{{Cite web |last=Detroit Democratic Socialists of America |title= Solidarity with our comrade and DSA member @DylanWegela! |url=https://x.com/detroitdsa/status/1621212484945182721 |website=X}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://housedems.com/dylan-wegela/ House website]
- [https://dylanwegela.wpcomstaging.com/ Campaign website]
{{Michigan House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wegela, Dylan}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Eastern Michigan University alumni
Category:People from Garden City, Michigan
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives
Category:Members of the Democratic Socialists of America from Michigan