By Jacinta Greene

I am a native Virginian and a proud graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. I am running for City Council to build a stronger Alexandria for us all. I have lived in Alexandria for 21 years and served on the Alexandria City School Board since 2018.

I am extremely proud to call Alexandria my home, where I have established strong roots and a commitment to our community. In search of ways to make a difference, I got involved in volunteer opportunities that I was passionate about, including fighting for women and children. This dedication led me to serve as a commissioner and first vice-chair for the Alexandria Commission for Women, where I had the opportunity to work on a variety of issues from education to housing.

I also serve on the board for the Twelve Days of Christmas, Inc.-D.C. Chapter, a nonprofit organization that raises money for disadvantaged children, and as director for the Ruby Tucker Readers organization, which fosters a love for reading and instills the principles of literacy amongst underserved children in Alexandria.

My run for Alexandria City Council is deeply rooted in making sure that all Alexandrians are able to build a successful and happy life in our beloved city. Alexandria has many needs and we must focus on what is most important to us and what supports our core values. Proven leadership, like I have shown over the years, is needed to forge this path forward.

Here are the priorities that I will focus on if elected to City Council: Access to safe affordable housing is something that I struggled with when I moved to Alexandria. I want to ensure that all Alexandrians can afford to live in our city. We need to address the lack of safe affordable housing, so our young professionals, police officers, educators and nurses can afford to live here.

Equitable access to a high-quality education for all is why I chose to run for the Alexandria City School Board. I know that a high-quality education is key to escaping poverty, helps reduce inequities and is critical for the prosperity of our city. On the School Board, I have fought to close the achievement gap, ensure the voices of parents and students are front and center, achieve educational equity and support our teachers to ensure they receive the resources and pay they deserve.

Supporting our small businesses is key to the prosperity of our city. Alexandria’s small businesses are the foundation on which our city is built. It is critical that we support them and ensure their needs are front and center in economic development planning in order to make Alexandria’s economy even better and ensure it continues to be a great place to live.

Mitigating the impacts of climate change is critical for the safety and prosperity of our city. I am committed to enhancing sustainability and resilience, adopting smarter approaches and developing effective and feasible mitigation plans to ensure Alexandria is prepared to respond to and recover from disasters.

The 20 years I spent in corporate America before I ventured out on my own as an independent marketing consultant and meeting planner, along with my many years of advocacy in Alexandria, has provided me with the experience and leadership to lead our city into the future. This is why I am running for City Council and I ask for your support to build a better future for our city.

The writer is running in the June 18 Democratic primary for City Council.