On Election Day, Alexandria Democratic Party Chair Sandy Marks claimed victory for mayoral candidate Alyia Gaskins at the Alexandria Democratic Committee watch party.
“I am confident that we elected Alyia Gaskins,” Marks said.
Matching up with Theogony’s earlier projection, this assertion, unsurprising as it was, became reality later that night. Prior to her official election, Gaskins ran unopposed in the general race, and won the Democratic primary earlier this year in a landslide, beating her closest opponent by over 5,000 votes in an election with less than 20% turnout.
Her victory also marks the election of Alexandria’s first black female mayor. Considering the city’s bloody history and heavy involvement with the transatlantic slave trade, her appointment represents an important moment for social progress in the city’s 274 year history.
Gaskins has also come out in favor of implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives (commonly referred to DEI): “[Alexandria is] filled with hundreds of different ethnic nationalities and cultures and backgrounds…we can only be the best Alexandria when we embrace that diversity…”
She added, “[We should] take intentional steps to make sure that each of those voices and each of those perspectives are at the table as we make decisions…”
The new mayor-elect has campaigned on a platform which focuses on education, housing, public safety, jobs, small business, and economic development, and government performance. Gaskins was first elected to city council in 2021, but has been an involved member of the community for a long time. Before being elected, she served on the Virginia Fair Housing Board, the Alexandria Transportation Commission, the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee, the Hunger Free Alexandria Steering Committee, Agenda Alexandria, Women of Color in Community Development Board of Directors, and the Good Shepherd Housing Leadership Council.
When asked about her prospective relationship with the City Council, Mayor-Elect Gaskins said, “…I’m a big believer that we have to lead from our values and while each of us may have different things that are core to what we focus on…I think many of us hold some shared values that [align] with…progressive ideals related to building an equitable city…related to making sure that we are continuing to address major issues like climate change, and women’s rights…”
The mayor-elect has also made clear her plans to deepen the partnership between the city government and the Alexandria School Board, a prospect that should interest students and staff members alike. Gaskins added that she hoped for the two bodies to “get back to understanding…and shaping what is our shared vision for youth in the city…”
Furthermore, Gaskins also touched on the importance of allowing students to voice their opinion in a way that ensures that they will be heard: “Something [that] I want to bring back is the mayor’s youth council…helping us sort out and navigate the issues that are most important to them. At the end of the day…[young people] are part of experiencing every piece of the fabric of this community. We have to work together because their lives don’t stop and start at school.”
Gaskins continued, “I hope that young people are ready because I’m going to be calling on you guys and I hope that we can find ways to do some cool stuff together.”
In a recent Theogony article summarizing the positions of every city council candidate, all of the candidates, including all of those who were elected, supported the creation of a second high school. Mayor-elect Gaskins echoed this view: “I have been hosting conversations in the community…[and] it has been brought to my attention the need for looking at how we bring on additional capacity at the high school level.”
Recognizing that this would be a complex undertaking, Gaskins clarified, “I know this isn’t something that will be achieved tomorrow or achieved in a first term, but I think it’s critical that we start the conversation now so that we could plan and really figure out what it would take to make that possible.”
Leading up to the presidential election, many people debated whether or not the country was ready for a female president. Some conservatives have called into question the ability of women to lead and govern. Mayor-elect Gaskins, however, boldly refutes these claims, saying that anyone who questions the power of women and girls to lead “simply needs to look around [us].”
She not only cites newly elected council members Jacinta Greene and Sarah Bagley, but also any of the “female leaders in powerful positions who care about this community and are taking steps to make sure that we live up to the promises and the ideals and the expectations of our city.”
Gaskins goes on to reaffirm her dedication to continuing to “expand opportunities for us to learn about our history, for us to take action, for us to pass policies that are grounded in sort of the questions at the core of an equitable city.”
The soon-to-be-mayor of Alexandria closed out her remarks with a piece of advice for all teenagers in Alexandria: “National politics is hard right now. I think all of us are still processing the results of the election, but I think with local government there is still a chance that…you can make change… I hope that you see some inspiration and opportunity in local government to know that, today, you can do something about the challenges we face.”
