Wichita District 1 City Council: The Candidates in Their Own Words

LaWanda DeShazer

Current Occupation: Community Engagement Specialist

Age: 60

votedeshazer.com

I am District 1. I grew up here, I live here, and I’ve watched this community go from thriving — with businesses, grocery stores, and pride — to feeling forgotten. I’m running because it’s time for equity on the City Council. It’s time the little guy — our seniors, our kids — gets a break. They deserve lower property taxes, safe schools, safe parks, and neighborhoods that thrive.

For too long, big-dollar interests have gotten all the attention and incentives. It’s time to take care of us. I’m committed to fighting for safety, economic opportunity, and dignity in every corner of District 1.

Joseph Shepard

Current Occupation: Director of Community Impact for National Non-Profit Organization, Lead For America

Age: 32

voteshepard.com

Wichita became home for me at a time when I didn’t have one. And when I had the chance to build a life on my own terms, I chose Wichita. Representing District 1 takes proximity — being connected not because you’re running for office, but because this is who you are.  I’m focused on kitchen-table issues: stronger neighborhoods, economic advancement for everyone, and rebuilding trust between people and government. I believe in bringing people together — all backgrounds, all zip codes — so we can move District 1 forward onward together.

LD: District 1 is short thousands of homes and needs innovative approaches. We should use vacant lots for townhomes or modular homes — like the McAfee and Jackson brothers successfully did decades ago — creating both housing and jobs. We must rethink single-family only development and be smart with public dollars to rebuild our neighborhoods efficiently.

JS: We need policies that support renters, seniors, and disabled residents by expanding the Homestead Act and prioritizing workforce housing. Minority entrepreneurs should have access to low-interest capital, since big banks often deny them. Transitional housing must be part of the path to permanent housing. Housing reform must include renters, who make up a majority of Black residents in District 1.

LD: I oppose putting the cost of fixing the city on everyday residents. Before increasing sales taxes, we must audit the budget and stop giving away deals to developers who don’t pay back what they owe. We need a better return on public investments before asking families to shoulder more costs.

JS: A sales-tax proposal should be decided by the public. Tourism generates about 30% of Wichita’s sales-tax revenue — so visitors help cover critical needs like roads, sewers, housing, and homelessness services. We can reduce the mill levy while still supporting growth, if voters approve a strategic sales-tax investment.

LD: I have a long track record of empowering youth leadership in Wichita. At the NAACP Youth Council, students led advocacy on wages and education. As councilmember, I will ensure youth not only have a seat at the table but a real voice — from advisory boards to workforce and recreation planning. Before launching new programs, I will audit City finances to redirect funds toward safe, affordable recreation spaces like youth centers and late-night activities that keep kids protected and engaged.

JS: Young people must help design the policies that affect their lives — not as tokens, but true partners. I support requiring youth seats on District Advisory Boards and reviving the Youth Advisory Coalition to unite nonprofits and schools. My first-term youth initiative would create permanent spaces for safe recreation, innovation, and creativity. We’ll measure progress with both data — crime trends and activity participation — and youth narratives, ensuring solutions reflect their lived realities.

LD: We need full-service grocery stores — not only fruit and vegetable programs. The City once set aside $1 million but it disappeared. We should “follow the money” and target national grocery chains beyond Dillons and Walmart. Other cities have invested public dollars to save local stores — we should too. Kids deserve real food options close to home.

JS: Food access is a health and academic success issue. I will pursue mixed-use development so new housing projects include grocery retail. We’ll partner with nonprofits like Kansas Appleseed to keep free meals available year-round and advocate for state support. Population growth and private-sector partnership are key to attracting grocery chains.

LD: Code enforcement is understaffed, and negligent property owners exploit that. We should expand staffing and increase the number and frequency of neighborhood cleanups — not just once a year. I’m already involved in these efforts and believe public resources should go where people actually live and struggle.

JS: We must partner with engineering staff to speed up sidewalk and street improvements and reform cleanup rules to make it easier for landlords and residents to participate. The city’s “SeeClickFix” system helps track fixes — but we must remove barriers that prevent residents from being good neighbors.

LD: District 1 has been overlooked for too long. The city spends big money trying to attract business to Wichita, but not to the neighborhoods that need it most. Minority entrepreneurs often never hear about opportunities — like when public housing property was being sold and rehabbed — because communication and outreach fall short. We must invest intentionally so economic growth truly reaches our community.

JS: Entrepreneurs in District 1 deserve strong, targeted support. Programs like Founders’ Grove, Create Campaign, and the Wichita Independent Business Association already teach skills to help small business owners scale and sustain themselves — and I will continue to invest in these efforts. We must also ensure economic development solves real community needs, and partner directly with Wichita State to align business growth with neighborhood priorities. Growing Latino and Hispanic populations are an economic asset — we should support their entrepreneurship as well.

LD: I spent 20 years embedded in public safety with Sedgwick County, so I know our systems and their challenges. Our 911 call-takers shoulder enormous responsibility. Fire stations are aging. And policing has become heavily tech-driven — which means we can start shifting some dollars toward strategies like community policing. Police leadership has said not all crime is a police problem — community must be involved too. Grassroots groups like the NAACP and the Ministerial League are ready to partner. Crime is solved with police and community working together. We need to bring back proven approaches that build relationships and help residents feel safe where they live.

JS: Public safety is more than policing — it includes fire, EMS, mental-health response teams like ICT One, and neighbors looking out for each other. About 40% of Wichita’s budget goes to police, and I support working with WPD and the Fraternal Order of Police to ensure those dollars include community intervention programs. We must examine technology spending — if tools like Flock cameras aren’t delivering results, we should move on. Trust matters. A holistic model — police, health providers, prevention programming, and community coalition — will keep people safe and rebuild confidence that the government has their back.

LD: I already have strong relationships with state legislators and city leaders from years of community service. That matters because federal funds flow through the state — and if we aren’t connected, District 1 won’t get its share. I’ve worked on successful policy advocacy before, and I’ll fight to make sure grant dollars reach the neighborhoods that need them most — especially educational and safety resources like literacy and code enforcement improvements.

JS: We need to leverage every level of government to support housing, safety, affordability, and opportunity. That includes Homestead Act expansion to help seniors, and federal & state programs such as LIHTC to boost affordable housing. Down-payment assistance must be directed where rental rates are high so families can build equity. I’ll also strengthen transit access by partnering with the county and USD 259 to connect workers to jobs, including second- and third-shift routes.

LD: We need a Housing First model — get people into stable housing, then deliver mental-health, job-training, and trauma-recovery services. We should use existing buildings, including modular homes and vacant units, instead of letting them sit empty. And we must spread services throughout the city, not pack everything into one area. Temporary shelters without planning just shift problems into parks and neighborhoods. The solution starts with dignity — housing first, support second.

JS: I’ve been homeless. I know the reality. The “image” of homelessness isn’t the truth — many are fleeing domestic violence, discrimination, or financial crisis. Sheltering is step one, but wrap-around case management must be on-site, accessible, and paired with transitional and permanent housing options. We must protect those only one paycheck away from losing everything. I also support filling funding gaps for ICT One, because no one deserves to die outside for lack of help — not on our watch.

LD: I will hold developers accountable and “follow the money” to ensure public funds support neighborhoods that have long been ignored. I will fight harder for seniors, for safety, and for economic development in forgotten areas of District 1.

JS: I will improve transparency, accountability, and proactive community engagement, ensuring residents drive priorities instead of reacting late to problems. My lived experience and coalition-building approach will strengthen trust and include more residents in decision-making.