274 years. That’s how long it’s taken for Alexandria to elect a Black woman as mayor. Nationally, those 274 years represent a shameful past, one marred by the violence and oppression of the transatlantic and domestic slave trade, a past that the City of Alexandria was irrefutably central to. But now, 274 years after the City was first established, Alyia Gaskins’ victory marks the election of Alexandria’s first black female mayor.
Gaskins ran unopposed in the general race, but won the Democratic primary earlier this year, beating her closest opponent by over 5,000 votes in an election with less than 20% turnout. The new mayor-elect campaigned on a platform focusing on education, housing, small business and economic development, public safety, jobs and government performance.
Her commitment to progress is nothing new, however. When she was a young child, she realized that her passion was to help others and ensure justice for everyone. She further pursued her ambitions when she attended Vanderbilt University, where she majored in medicine, health, and society.
After graduating from Vanderbilt, Gaskins broadened her studies at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her masters degree in health. Her aspirations for higher education did not end with just one master’s degree; rather, she went on to attain one in urban planning from Georgetown and then a Professional Certificate in personal finance from the University of Chicago.
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, Alexandria Transportation Commission, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee, Hunger Free Alexandria Steering Committee, Women of Color in Community Development Board of Directors and Good Shepherd Housing Leadership Council.
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 said.
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…”
When asked about her prospective relationship with the City Council, 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 she plans to deepen the partnership between the city-wide government and the school board. She said that she hopes for the two bodies to “get back to understanding … and shaping what is our shared vision for youth in the city.”
Furthermore, Gaskins 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,” she said. “Which will help us sort out and navigate the issues that are most important to youth. At the end of the day, … [young people] are 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.”
Gaskins, like all candidates who ran for City Council, said she believes it’s time for a second high school in Alexandria.
“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,” she said.
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, Americans across the nation debated whether or not the country was ready for a female president. Some far-right conservatives called into question the ability of women to lead and govern. Gaskins, however, boldly refuted those claims, saying that anyone who questions the power of women and girls to lead “simply needs to look around.”
She not only cited newly elected council member Jacinta Greene and incumbent 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 went 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.”