Charleston, SC through the lens of Mayoral Candidate Mika Gadsden
This month I sat down with Charleston mayoral candidate Mika Gadsden to talk about the issues that inspired her to run. In many ways, inflation and rising housing costs are just a symptom of living in the United States these days. But this lack of affordability is nothing new to the coastal city. People have been flocking to Charleston and displacing residents for decades. In the last few years life and housing have become unaffordable for almost everyone. It is these issues, among others, that inspired Mika to run for Mayor in 2023. At Schenker Creative Co, we took the time to visualize what that looks like.
Median sale price of a home in Charleston County, SC. Data sourced from Redfin.
Unfortunately, wages have not risen in the same way. In the summer of 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that “Workers in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area had an average (mean) hourly wage of $26.34 in May 2022, 11 percent below the nationwide average of $29.76, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.”
The problem is even worse for people of color. A 2016 study by the Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston found that Black residents make just 60% of white residents in Charleston County.
Median individual income in Charleston, SC from 2011 to 2021. Data sourced from the U.S. Census.
Income disparity by race. Data sources from the College of Charleston Avery Research Center’s study on The State of Racial Disparities.
Legacy Mayor, Joe Riley, held the office for 40 years, prioritizing urban planning and historic preservation projects that primarily benefited white residents. Since Riley left office in 2016, development has continued to flourish. While additional units add housing supply needed to fight the housing crisis in Charleston, most of these units are unaffordable to working class residents. Mika challenges this narrative through her campaign principles below.
Mika is running as a new voice in leadership in Charleston. As a creator and advocate, she works every day to hold the local government accountable to its citizens. Her work challenges leadership to acknowledge past wrongs to move forward making better decisions for all of Charleston's citizens. You can learn more about her campaign at VoteMika.com
