Derell Wilson

MPA Fellows, Class of 2027

State Representative, City of Norwich

Mr. Derell Wilson became interested in politics in 2006, during the Reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, when he traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. Representatives and Senators. He, along with 700 other Youth & College members of the NAACP, marched more than 3 1/2 miles to the capital to voice their concern and support for the reauthorization of this Act.

In 2018, he was elected as the chair of the Norwich Democratic Town Committee and served in this role until 2023. In November 2019, at the age of 27, he was elected to his 1st two-year term to serve on the Norwich City Council as an Alderman. In 2021, Mr. Wilson was elected to a second term on the city council and helped pass a major declaration in the city to address many health disparities in the city. In November 2022, Derell was elected as the first African American State Representative (46th District) in the City of Norwich.  Representative Wilson was reelected to a second term in November 2024.

In the General Assembly, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Labor & Public Employees Committee and a member of the Judiciary and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. Wilson has been selected numerous times as one of CT’s 100 Most Influential Blacks. Recently, Derell Wilson became a CSG Robert J. Thompson Fellow. Derell was recently elected as Vice Chair of the CT General Assembly’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus.

Derell currently serves as the President of the Eastern Connecticut Board of Approved Football Officials and is in his 11th year of officiating. Derell’s other job is a Building Substitute at the Integrated Day Charter School.