Darby Mayor Joar F. K. Dahn is not yet 30, but he’s motivated to make Darby Borough a better place, writes Asha Prihar for Spotlight PA, as printed in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Dahn was elected in November as Darby’s newest mayor. The Gen Z politician begins his term this month.
Dahn, 28, calls himself Darby’s “biggest cheerleader.”
Dahn’s family fled the Liberian Civil War when he was a child. He describes Darby, his home for 20 years, as a “very close-knit community,” but one that “has its struggles.”
He challenged the incumbent mayor in the Democratic primary and won by 20 points. He ran unopposed in the November General Election.
Dahn is using his first 100 days to motivate community members to get more involved in local government and “feel like they’re part of the process.”
“Sometimes, we’ll have council meetings, and I’m the only resident in the room,” Dahn said.
Public safety is a big priority for Dahn, who hopes to promote a positive relationship between residents and police and work to reduce gun violence.
“I need every single grandmom to feel comfortable walking any street in Darby,” Dahn said.
Read more about Joar F.K.Dahn and about other young mayors elected in the region in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
