Candidate Profile: Alyia Gaskins For Alexandria Mayor

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria's Democratic primary will choose the Democratic nominee for mayor along with six City Council seats during the June 18, 2024 election.

Democratic candidates who win in the primary will go on to the general election for the six City Council seats. Candidates for mayor are Councilmember Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and businessman Steven Peterson.

The City of Alexandria will have the Democratic City Council and mayoral primaries, along with a Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

SEE ALSO: Mayoral, City Council Primaries 2024: Early Voting To Begin In Alexandria

Early voting for the general election began on May 3 and continues through June 15. More information on how to vote is available from the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration & Elections.

Patch asked candidates for mayor and Alexandria City Council to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Alyia Gaskins's responses:

Name

Alyia Gaskins

Office Sought

Mayor, Alexandria VA

Campaign Website

https://alyiaforalexandria.com

Age (As of June 18 election)

35

Education

Vanderbilt University, BA, major in Medicine, Health, and Society
University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, MPH, Health Policy and Management
Georgetown University, Masters in Urban and Regional Planning
University of Chicago, Professional Certificate in Municipal Finance

Senior Program Officer, Melville Charitable Trust

Family

Alyia and husband Greg, son Ezekiel (4), daughter Eliana (18 months), and beloved beagle Riley (14) live in Cameron Station.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Previous public office positions or appointments

Alexandria City Councilmember (2022-present)

Why are you seeking this office?

When my husband and I were deciding where to put down roots, we chose Alexandria because it exemplified our values of kindness and diversity. Together, we started serving our community - first with our church, then with ALIVE and the Fund for Alexandria’s Child. After talking to neighbors across the city, from Cameron Station to Arlandria to Lincolnia Hills and everywhere in between, I decided I could best serve Alexandria by running for City Council. With their help, I was elected.

As a councilmember, I have continued to listen and collaborate, and I have delivered results, including:
- increasing dedicated funding for affordable housing by nearly $5 million
- investing in school facilities and teacher pay and expanding early care and out-of-school-time opportunities
- passing historic collective bargaining agreements for trades, police, and firefighters
- giving officers tools like body-worn cameras to do their jobs while building trust and accountability
- funding critical infrastructure, including flood mitigation, transit options, and broadband
- supporting quality jobs through prevailing wage and labor agreements

When the mayor announced that he was not running for reelection, I knew that I had found my next opportunity to serve my city. Alexandria need a leader who will ensure everyone thrives. A leader who understands the connections between development, education, housing, small business, public safety, and infrastructure. A leader who knows how important it is to plan comprehensively to maximize benefits and mitigate unintended consequences for residents and businesses. A leader who does the work and holds us accountable. I am that leader, which is why I am running for mayor.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

There are two major differences between me and the other candidates seeking this post.

The first difference is that I have extensive experience with the issues Alexandria faces. I was raised by a single mom who worked two jobs but struggled to make ends meet. We faced hunger and housing insecurity. I studied public health, urban planning, and municipal finance so I could address issues like these, public safety, housing, and youth needs.
Professionally, I have worked on hunger policy, health policy, affordable housing investment, and homelessness.

The second difference is that I get results. I know how cities work and I have the tools to address our issues. I read all the documents, emails, and letters; I attend all the meetings and get out in the community to visit sites and talk with residents--so I am in close touch with our strengths and challenges, as well as how Alexandrians feel about them. My commitment to listening and collaboration enables me to craft effective solutions and policies. And that’s what I’ll keep doing as mayor.

What do you see as the top issues facing your city, and how do you address them in your campaign platform?

We all deserve to feel safe, wherever we live or work. PUBLIC SAFETY is a crucial factor in the health and wellbeing of all Alexandria residents. As mayor, I will work to:

- partner with the Alexandria Police Department (APD) to find common sense efficiencies so officers spend more time engaged in community policing, with an effort to align APD resources across prevention, detection, and intervention to reduce crime, address hazardous traffic violators, and expand our community outreach efforts
- engage other criminal justice partners, as well as non-profit and community partners to develop programs to prevent recidivism, especially youth-focused programs
- increase communication between the police and the community. We need a strategic plan that focuses on morale, crime reduction, building accountability, and clearly communicating our efforts to the public.
- expand investment in the safety and mental health of all our dedicated first responders, including APD, Alexandria Fire Department, and Alexandria Sheriff’s Office.

As a growing city, we must be intentional about ensuring that all Alexandrians have safe, high-quality, healthy housing they can afford in neighborhoods that provide the resources they need and amenities they want. On the City Council, I have actively supported the expansion of the accessibility and affordability of housing. As Mayor, I will ensure that we are also proactive about:
- improving the quality of our aging housing stock
- protecting and expanding tenant rights
- preventing displacement
- helping residents grow up, achieve homeownership, and age in our community
- coordinating our development efforts with our public works, transportation, school, and climate resilience strategies

The first thing most people consider when choosing a home is the quality of the local schools. I want Alexandria not only to have great schools, but to support our YOUTH from cradle to career. This will entail building deeper relationships among parents, schools, and local and state officials so that we can advance educational equity across the city by:
- investing in stable, affordable, quality childcare including early education and childcare options for infants and toddlers to prepare them for school and before and after school programs to help older children thrive;
- deepening the partnership between city government and the Alexandria City Schools Board so that we can work together more effectively to support education and the wellbeing of our children; and
- strengthening training and summer youth employment programs.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My responses to the questions above point to the accomplishments that provide evidence that I can handle this job. I acquired two advanced degrees and a certificate while working full time. I have handled motherhood and a full-time job while serving on Council. And most importantly, as I have juggled all these responsibilities, I have consistently produced results that make a difference for communities and their residents, not least of all Alexandria. My many endorsements--from local politicians, unions, and organizations--are further evidence that Alexandria knows I can handle this job.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As our City’s first Black female mayor, I will lead us in building a safer, more affordable, more accessible city. In my first months, I will:
1) develop a city-wide economic development strategy,
2) create a housing preservation taskforce to help residents stay and age here,
3) bring government to the people by launching monthly quality-of-life walks with residents where we solve problems together, and
4) audit our communications so we can engage more people more effectively. Decisions will be grounded in community, data-driven, equitable, and measurable.