Our west-central Wisconsin community has an incredible opportunity this year. From Downsville to Osseo, Eleva and Strum to Rock Falls to Eau Claire, it’s time for new, courageous leadership that actually represents the 93rd Assembly District.
I was born in Eau Claire in 1993. In my 30 years, I have seen many changes. The hospital in which I was born, Sacred Heart, abruptly closed this spring. When I was a 17-year-old junior in high school, Act 10 was introduced, launching an unprecedented attack on public education. Having been raised by a family of educators, I entered adulthood as profit-driven political players were attacking the only profession I had ever seen up close. Since then, no young person in Wisconsin has seen a single state budget for public schools that even kept pace with inflation. We need to act now to finally start doing what’s right for our shared future.
My goal is to disrupt the status quo that has so clearly let our community down. Let’s build a campaign around what our community actually needs and deserves: strong public schools; reproductive freedom; tangible justice for those most disadvantaged by the status quo, including Black, Indigenous, Hmong and AAPI populations, individuals with disabilities, and my fellow LGBTQ+ community members; healthcare as a human right; climate policies that protect the environment for our beautiful home; a safe economy of connection and education rather than punishment and incarceration; and so much more.
Christian Phelps was born and raised in Eau Claire and graduated from Memorial High School in 2012 as a successful student-athlete. He has been an advocate for the Chippewa Valley community for decades.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College in 2016, Christian returned to Wisconsin, working for two years as a special education paraprofessional in public schools in Madison. He then earned a master’s degree in journalism from Cardiff University and returned to Eau Claire in early 2020.
Christian has written personally and professionally to cover stories of LGBTQ+ rights, social programs, indigenous sovereignty, public education, and more, and has most recently worked in the nonprofit arena as communications director for Wisconsin Public Education Network. He also serves on the steering committee of Support Eau Claire Public Schools and the board of trustees of the Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation.
Christian brings years of personal and professional experience participating in public demonstrations, referendum campaigns, following legislative policy, journalistic and academic writing, and standing up for Wisconsinites against corporate greed.
He lives in Eau Claire with his partner and enjoys running, playing tennis, and enjoying the many small businesses in the Chippewa Valley for social time with his friends.