By Cody Mello-Klein | cmelloklein@alextimes.com

Amy Jackson, a current member of City Council and longtime educator in Northern Virginia, kickstarted her council re-election campaign on Feb. 3, her birthday.

It was a personal way for Jackson to launch her campaign at a time when knocking on doors and meeting community members at fundraisers are no longer part of running a campaign. It was also apt for a candidate who was raised in Alexandria and pitches herself as a “voice of the people.”

“We have an inclusive city that’s always been home to me,” Jackson said. “I want to continue to always find a path to make sure that people feel welcome and that people feel seen. I want everybody here feeling seen.”

Jackson graduated from T.C. Williams High School and was formerly a teacher and administrator at the middle and high school levels for more than a decade. She eventually took a break from teaching to raise her now 7- and 9-year-old children in the Seminary Hill neighborhood.

Prior to running for council in 2018, Jackson served on a variety of community boards and commissions, including the Commission for Women and the Fund for Alexandria’s Child board.

During her first term on council, Jackson served on the Eisenhower Partnership Board of Directors; INOVA Alexandria Hospital task force; AlexRenew’s Combined Sewer Outfall Project Team Workgroup; the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee; and the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School rebuild advisory committee, among others.

Jackson said the COVID-19 pandemic was the deciding factor in her choice to run for re-election. With City Council’s priorities shifting toward healthcare and recovery efforts, Jackson was unable to pursue some of the ideas she had campaigned on in 2018.

“It’s a year that, as an incumbent, I didn’t have to do other things that were on the list, things that, hearing from residents, they needed,” Jackson said. “The platform that we ran on before, it wasn’t a priority anymore. The priorities are the health of our residents, of our businesses.”

“My passion is my city, and so therefore, I can’t turn away,” Jackson added. “I couldn’t pass the baton. The baton is still mine to run the race with, so that’s what I’m doing.”

The health and safety of residents during the second year of the pandemic remain priorities for her, Jackson said. Jackson led the charge on passing a mask mandate ordinance before Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) had issued a similar mandate statewide.

Jackson said she is focused on helping Alexandria be successful after the pandemic. Moving forward, she also plans to bring a race and social equity lens to every issue she considers on the dais.

“We need to bring equity to every situation. Reopening Alexandria from the waterfront to the West End, it’s going to look different,” Jackson said.

Equity has long been a passion of Jackson’s and one she would continue to champion during her second term on council, Jackson said. During her time on the Commission for Women, Jackson testified twice before the Virginia General Assembly in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the amendment in January 2020.

With her experience as an educator and parent, education would still be a priority for Jackson if she were re-elected. Jackson said she wants City Council to ensure the Alexandria City Public Schools budget is fully funded so that it can effectively pursue its ambitious longterm planning goals.

Jackson said the shift to virtual learning and remote work has highlighted the need for the city to create a municipal broadband network, something the city is currently considering.

“With people now knowing they can stay home and not have to work [in-person], a lot more telecommuting is going to be going on, so our broadband needs to be strong and needs to be in place,” Jackson said. “It’s not just for our education and our students but also for our workforce. It demands it.”

Jackson also said she remains concerned about the city’s current approach to affordable housing, which involves providing additional density to developers in exchange for more affordable housing units in their projects.

“In terms of affordable housing, we all want it. We all need it,” Jackson said. “We just need to find another way to get there other than continuing to build and not get but one or two units out of something. The residents are not going to stand for it. I’m not going to stand for it.”

During the Feb. 20 public hearing, council considered and ultimately approved the redevelopment of the Heritage at Old Town apartment complex. The development project spans three buildings, with 195 affordable units out of 750 new units.

Although she ultimately voted to approve the project due to the significant affordable housing contribution, Jackson said the Heritage highlights her ongoing concern about increased development and density in Alexandria. At the hearing, Jackson voiced concerns about traffic impacts and increased enrollment at the city’s already crowded schools.

“When we are looking at density, we also need to be sensible about what this density means in the long run,” Jackson said.

With conversation currently swirling around the controversial stream restoration project in Taylor Run and the impacts of flooding on the city’s stormwater infrastructure, ensuring the city is truly living up to its eco-city status is paramount, Jackson said.

“Moving forward in that regard, we are an eco-city, and we need to make sure that that is successful,” Jackson said.

In looking back on her first term on council, Jackson said she is proud of the work she has done to make Alexandria a safer and more inclusive city. She brought forward an ordinance, which passed unanimously, that prohibits firearms on city property. Jackson also helped shepherd the city’s race and social equity resolution from a set of ideas to reality.

Jackson added that her first term on council has taught her the value of an active, involved community input process and of council taking a measured yet progressive approach to policy. Jackson refers to herself as a “principled progressive” Democrat.

“Being progressive doesn’t mean you have to be fast. You have to be thoughtful and deliberate because when things change, and you want things to change that way, they don’t change overnight,” Jackson said.

Change has also been necessary for Jackson and her second City Council campaign. Social media and virtual fundraising events and meetings have taken on an even more important role.

“I’m still using all the tools I had before in my campaign toolbox, but I’ve had to add some and be creative and think outside the box … as I’m using the other tools I have,” Jackson said.

Jackson will face off against fellow incumbents Canek Aguirre and John Chapman in addition to at least eight new candidates in the June 8 Democratic primary. However, Jackson said she believes her work on council over the last two years speaks volumes about her passion for and ability to lead a city that still is her home.

“I’m here to represent. I’m here to continue the work that I’ve been doing. I continue to look for new opportunities that will help our city in the future and beyond,” Jackson said. “I look forward to being the peoples’ representative for another term.”