About Mayor Amáda

Amáda Márquez Simula is the first person of color elected to office in Columbia Heights, and only the second Latina mayor in Minnesota’s state history. Community members encouraged her to seek the mayor’s seat based on her steadfast volunteerism, solid management skills, and outspoken support for residents from all walks of life. She first ran for office during the 2020 pandemic, and took office on January 4, 2021. She is currently seeking her third two-year term.

Your Community Organizer

Amáda is widely recognized as an active leader in Columbia Heights. Her involvement has only increased since taking office. She volunteers daily, advocates for residents, and makes connections that have a positive impact on the community. More involvement…

Endorsed by Your Neighbors

Tin type portrait of Amáda Márquez Simula

Mayor Amáda has the support of the people in her community, as well as endorsements from several regional unions and organizations. Her co-governance with state and federal officials has brought attention and funding to Columbia Heights. More endorsements…

Small Town Kid, Big Impact

Amáda Márquez Simula was born in Madison, Wisconsin to a working-class family with big ideas about the future. Her father was a childhood immigrant from Mexico. Together with her brothers, she breathed new life into a fledgling restaurant, transforming it into one of the most successful venues in the area. Read her full bio…

How do you say ‘Amáda’ anyway?

Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula

Even among Latinos, Amáda is an uncommon name from a bygone era. In Spanish, it means “beloved”, though colloquially the word is often used like “sweetheart” or “darling”. In Spanish, the letter ‘d’ is soft and sounds like ‘th’ in words like ‘the’, ‘they’, and ‘them’. If you can say ‘a mother’ you can say Amáda! More FAQs…

A Track Record of Success

Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula signs documents in her office

Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula consistently demonstrates informed, fearless, and creative leadership. A look at her track record shows the many ways she has helped keep property taxes as low as possible, made improvements to city technology and services, modernized public safety, created healthier spaces, and brought more representation into our local government. See her full Track Record…