Erica Deuso: Pennsylvania’s First Trans Mayor | Good Neighbor Culture & Community

On this episode, Erica Deuso (she/her) joins Caroline and Jordan, with special guest co-host Jessie Gender, for a conversation about her life, work, and community leadership.

Erica reflects on childhood in Vermont, where growing up in a working-class family shaped her sense of service and responsibility. Early experiences with economic insecurity, scouting, and public service influenced her commitment to affordability, safety, and care at the local level.

As the conversation moves through Erica’s transition and entry into politics, she shares her approach to leadership rooted in listening, transparency, and practical problem solving. Rather than centering opposition or ideology, Erica focuses on building trust, addressing housing and flood mitigation, supporting first responders, and fostering a Good Neighbor culture in a growing town.

This episode marks both the Season 5 premiere and the four-year anniversary of The Trans Narrative Podcast. It is a conversation about service over spectacle, community over culture war, and what it looks like to lead with empathy while staying grounded in the everyday needs of the people she serves.

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About the Guest

Erica Deuso, who uses she/her pronouns, is a scientist, community advocate, and the Mayor of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Raised in a working-class family in Vermont, Erica studied biology and chemistry and has spent her career helping organizations better serve their communities. She transitioned at age 29 and later entered local politics with a focus on public safety, housing affordability, flood mitigation, and transparent governance. In 2026, she was elected mayor, becoming the first transgender mayor in Pennsylvania.

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About the Podcast

Preserving trans voices, one story at a time

The Trans Narrative Podcast is an international storytelling and archival platform dedicated to preserving trans and gender-diverse lives through long-form narrative. With over 150 episodes across five seasons and listeners in more than 80 countries, each episode captures lived experience from beginning to end, treating every story as historical record rather than soundbite.

🎙️ Trans or gender-diverse? Share your story at [e-mail] 🏳️‍⚧️

Created and Produced by Caroline Essence

“Make it real to me” written by Athena Promachus

Featuring: Talk my Ear Off by Mateo Briscoe and the local Slothbois, with Cameron Love

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Resources

Suicide Hotline: [phone]

Trevor Project: 1 866 488 7386

National Domestic Violence Hotline: [phone]

Drug Abuse National Helpline: 1 800 662 4357

S A F E Self Abuse Finally Ends: 1 800 366 8288

Family Violence Prevention Center: 1 800 313 1310

National Human Service Call Center: 2 1 1