Meet Wendy

I'm Wendy Durrwachter, the DFL endorsed candidate running to serve District 1 on the Duluth City Council.

I know what it’s like to have your kids leave after high school and wonder if they will be able to return to the city they grew up in. We all want our kids to have opportunities right here in Duluth to follow their passions, pursue successful careers, and build their adult lives.

I originally came to Duluth for the outdoors but quickly fell in love with the community and opportunities available here. My passion is music, and I was able to pursue my passion while a single mother of two, working two to three jobs to afford rent. I have now composed several musical works that have been performed across the Northland and the country. We all know this wouldn’t be possible for a single, working mother in other cities.

Duluth is special. Now is the time when we most need to foster and support everything that makes Duluth great.

When something needs to be done I step up and do it. I’m not afraid to call out those who abuse their power. I’ve spent my whole life working in the restaurant industry which is all about listening to and understanding people and their needs. I know how to advocate for the people I serve, myself, and my fellow employees. In management roles, I advocated for employees to business owners. I was able to gain a deep understanding of the challenges facing small-business owners and the wages and policies needed to provide an environment that allows workers to thrive.

I volunteer with TakeAction MN to improve conditions for working families. I volunteer with Duluth for Clean Water to protect our watershed and our drinking water, and I served on the planning team for the MLK Day rally. I’ve also served on the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council Grant Panel, which fosters our community of artists.

As your City Councilor, I will work alongside everyone in District 1 to do things that need to be done to ensure Duluth remains a place we all can call home. I understand that working parents need access to quality childcare and will work to make it abundant and accessible to all. I will support funding city services and infrastructure to keep us safe. As someone who experienced housing discrimination when I was a renter with two children, I am dedicated to fighting for fair housing for all. I will also work to protect our water and green spaces, take immediate action against climate change, and fight for protections for our workers - including the artists who make Duluth so remarkable.

I live in Lakeside with my cats Poofy and Maude who can be found sitting on my piano while I’m composing. We all look forward to visits from my children, proud Duluth public school graduates who now work and attend school in the Twin Cities.

District 1 deserves a Councilor who will listen, understand, and get it done. I look forward to hearing you and doing the work to make sure Duluth stays a great place to call home.