Adrian Perkins facts for kids
Adrian Perkins (born October 23, 1985) is an American politician. He served as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana. Perkins is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Harvard Law School. He is also an Army veteran. In 2020, he ran for the United States Senate but did not win.
Quick facts for kids
Adrian Perkins
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| Mayor of Shreveport | |
| In office December 29, 2018 – December 31, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Ollie Tyler |
| Succeeded by | Tom Arceneaux |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 23, 1985 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | United States Military Academy (BS) Harvard University (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 2008–2015 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Awards | Bronze Star |
Contents
Early Life and School
Adrian Perkins grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was the youngest of three boys. He went to Arthur Circle, Youree Drive Middle School, and Captain Shreve High School. In high school, he was part of the student council. He also played football, basketball, and was on the track and field teams. He was an all-state athlete in track and field.
After the September 11 attacks, Perkins wanted to join the United States Army. He was accepted into the United States Military Academy at West Point. While at West Point, he was chosen as the class president. He was the first African American cadet to be class president in the school's 215-year history.
Military Service
After graduating from West Point, Perkins became an officer in the field artillery. He was stationed at different military bases. He also served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Perkins served in the Army for eight years. He completed Ranger training. He reached the rank of captain. He also served as a company commander.
Adrian Perkins received the Bronze Star. This is an award for bravery or good service in combat.
Becoming Mayor of Shreveport
On April 26, 2018, Adrian Perkins announced he would run for Mayor of Shreveport.
On November 6, 2018, he received the most votes in the first election. However, he did not get enough votes to win right away.
So, on December 8, 2018, there was a second election. Perkins won against the current mayor, Ollie Tyler. He became the 58th mayor of Shreveport. He was the city's third mayor in a row who was Black. He was also the second youngest mayor in Shreveport's history.
What Mayor Perkins Focused On
Growing Shreveport's Economy
As mayor, Perkins worked to help Shreveport's economy grow. He focused on expanding the city's healthcare area. He also worked to grow the aviation maintenance and technology industries. For example, in 2019, a company called SuperATV invested money in Shreveport. This created 117 new jobs.
Using Technology for the City
Mayor Perkins wanted Shreveport to be a "smart city." This means using technology to make the city better. He hired the city's first Chief Technology Officer. His team created an online budget called the "People's Budget." This made city spending easier to see. They also found millions of dollars that helped the city's savings. The city's IT department also saved money by changing phone contracts.
Managing the City's Money
When Perkins became mayor, the city had a $1.2 million debt. His team worked to cut spending and bring in more money. In December 2019, the City Council approved his first budget. It was the first balanced budget for Shreveport in almost ten years. This budget helped the city go from a debt to a surplus.
Perkins also suggested a monthly fee for garbage pickup. This fee would help pay sanitation workers more. It would also reduce how much money the city had to spend on trash collection. The City Council approved a $7 fee in March 2019.
When the COVID-19 pandemic happened, Shreveport faced a $25 million money shortage. The Perkins administration made cuts to avoid laying off city workers. They also kept important services running.
Changing a City Law
In May 2019, Mayor Perkins spoke out against a city law. This law banned people from wearing saggy pants in public. He believed the law was unfair. The Shreveport City Council then voted to remove the law in June 2019. This change got attention across the country.
Running for U.S. Senate
On July 22, 2020, Perkins announced he would run for the United States Senate. He wanted to challenge the current Senator, Bill Cassidy. Many important people supported Perkins. These included former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Mayor Perkins said he ran because of the pandemic. He felt there was a need for strong leadership in Washington. He said, "The pain and suffering I've seen has driven me to this decision."
However, Perkins did not win the Senate race. On November 3, 2020, Bill Cassidy was re-elected. Perkins received 19% of the votes.
Awards
On November 8, 2019, the Pat Tillman Foundation gave Perkins an award. It was called the "Make Your Mark Award." He received it for showing values like service and leadership.
