Historic First: First Openly Gay Man of Color in WI State Assembly

In 2024, the people of Green Bay’s 90th District elected Amaad Rivera Wagner as the first openly gay man of color to serve in the Wisconsin State Assembly. It is a milestone documented by the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project and Ballotpedia, and one Amaad carries with real weight.

He has said that representation is not just about who holds a seat, it is about who feels like Madison is listening to them for the first time.

Since taking office, he has served as a founding board member of Green Bay Pride and continues to show up for the LGBTQ community at events across the district, from Pride celebrations to town halls in every neighborhood.

This milestone is part of a broader story: a kid raised by a teenage single mother who once experienced homelessness now sits in the Wisconsin State Assembly fighting for the same working families he grew up alongside.

Source: Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project and Ballotpedia