Shanay Watson-Whittaker is the manager of the Michigan Voices Strategic Partnerships. A passionate Detroiter, by way of the Bronx, NY, she has led political campaigns, worked at the Detroit Health Department, Detroit City Council and the New York City Council.
Early on, Shanay served in multiple roles advocating for Black, Indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) in politics. She served asthe chair of the Young Democrats of America Minority Caucus, Young Democrats of Michigan Minority Caucus and chair of the New York State Young Democrats Caucus of Color. In Detroit, she helped run the NAACP Voters Registration project and ran the 14th District Democratic Party GOTV operations for four election cycles.
Shanay is raising six young adults and a grandson with her husband Ken. Five of their children are in college, with the youngest currently serving in the U.S. Navy. Shanay is a Jesuit-educated genealogy enthusiast, a die-hard New York Yankees fan and a broken-hearted New York Knicks and Jets fan. She often quotes her political shero, Shirley Chisholm, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”