About Cavalier Johnson
Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s commitment to his city began at an early age.
At 14 years old, he was selected by the YMCA to participate in a pre-college program for low-income MPS students. That very same program, Sponsor-A-Scholar, solidified his life commitment to community service and making Milwaukee better for future generations.
Growing up, his family moved frequently, and until middle school Cavalier attended a different MPS school almost every year. He has faced violence, evictions, food insecurity — all the challenges attendant to urban poverty. After graduating Bay View High School, Cavalier earned a bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison and then returned home to work for the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB), now Employ Milwaukee. His focus area there included working with at-risk youth, youth entering the workforce for the first time, and adults retooling to enter the workforce.
Before being elected Alderman, he also served Milwaukee through working in the Mayor’s Office, where he worked diligently with community and faith leaders to find creative solutions to some of Milwaukee’s most pressing issues facing families from all walks of life.
Cavalier remains deeply committed to the community, having served on the boards of the Milwaukee YMCA, ACLU-Wisconsin and Milwaukee Community Brainstorming Conference.
Cavalier and his wife, Dominique, have one son and twin daughters and live on Milwaukee’s west side.