First Black Bellevue council member paves way for social justice

“Please come out and join me in my quest to make this a better planet 1 square mile at a time!!”

Those are more than the words of Val Pennington, Bellevue borough council president and its first Black council member.

“Bellevue is 1-square mile so that thought popped into my mind,” said Pennington who grew up in Pittsburgh’s East End and graduated from Peabody High School in 1986. “I ran for office because I wanted to get things done. I care about social justice and fairness and ethics. It’s not just about being a face.”

Pennington said he doesn’t just want to be an anomaly. He wants his position to be normalized.

“My candidacy wasn’t normal in this community,” said Pennington, 52. “I want it to become normal, and I don’t want to just be a token or an avatar. I want to make positive contributions.”

Pennington said leading during a pandemic has been challenging. He had to make two major administrative hires through virtual interviews.

He received the most votes in the primary and the highest in the general election in 2017.

He was named president last year. This is the final year of his term of what’s considered a part-time job but that requires a significant commitment. He hasn’t decided if he will run again.

That fact it took until 2017 to have the first Black elected official is unbelievable, said Emily Marburger, Bellevue’s mayor.

“Val is setting a shining example of what can be accomplished and he brings a different perspective to the table,” she said. “I hope he inspires people from diverse backgrounds to run in the future. “Val is definitely making a difference.”

Pennington has been instrumental in the passing of legislation confirming Black Lives Matter and fought to have the pride flag fly during Pride Month in front of the borough hall.

Pennington said the code of conduct and the social media code in Bellevue was lacking, so he is currently working on a policy for a code of conduct.

“Bellevue hasn’t always been the most-friendly place for people who come from marginal groups – and not just Black and brown people, but all marginal groups,” he said. “To me, the oppression of one is the oppression of all.”

Jodi Cerminara, who is in her second year on council, met Pennington through their daughters’ school and told him she was thinking of running.

“I was nervous, but he gave me encouragement,” Cerminara said. “He answered some of the questions I had and shared some of what I could expect. We talked for hours, and not just about me. We talked about the issues Bellevue faces and he asked what I thought about those issues. He is a caring human being and he takes time for everybody.”

People often seek out Pennington for advice said Alisa Mehlo, president of North Boroughs Progressives Political Action Committee, who lives in his ward and helped with his campaign. She said there wasn’t accessible information for someone who wanted to run and there were negative reactions to newcomers.

“He is such a great guy to like and so easy to be around,” Mehlo said. “He is a difference-maker. He is smart and steady and I admire him. We wanted Val to know we had his back.”

The idea to run came when the chair of the local democratic committee who was running that year came to his door asking for signatures for support to get on the ballot and mentioned the need for additional candidates in 2016.

He has always had the lovingsupport of his wife, Molly Brown Pennington. They have lived in Bellevue for 14 years and have three children, Dash, 23, Phineas, 13, and Darla, 8.

“She has been integral to everything I have done,” he said. “She is my emotional support and a great mind and person. My wife and I want to leave Bellevue a nicer place than how we found it.”

Pennington said in Bellevue the demographics show 30% of the people in the community are non-white.

“With that number, it is kind of unique that I was the first person of color to serve in an elected office,” he said. “I want to inspire others. Our youth need to have role models.”

Two people he deeply admires are former President Barack Obama and vice-president Kamala Harris.

Pennington said he wants to be like them and pave the road for the people who come after him. He is also doing that in his other part-time job as coach of the inaugural men’s volleyball team at Carlow University in Oakland.