Ivy Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ivy Taylor
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Taylor in May 2017
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| Mayor of San Antonio | |
| In office July 22, 2014 – June 21, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Julian Castro |
| Succeeded by | Ron Nirenberg |
| Member of the San Antonio City Council from District 2 | |
| In office 2009–2014 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | June 17, 1970 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Nonpartisan (as officeholder) Democratic as registered member |
| Spouse | Rodney Taylor |
| Alma mater | Yale University (AB) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MS) University of Pennsylvania (Ed.D.) |
| Profession | Urban planner |
| Website | City website Campaign website |
Ivy Ruth Taylor (born June 17, 1970) is an important American leader. She served as the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, from 2014 to 2017. A mayor is the head of a city government.
After her time as mayor, she became the president of Rust College. This is a college in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She led the college from 2017 to 2023.
Ivy Taylor was the first African American person elected mayor of San Antonio. She was also only the second woman to hold that position. She made history as the first African-American woman to be mayor of a city with over one million people.
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Early Life and Education
Ivy Taylor was born in Brooklyn, a part of New York City. She grew up in another part of New York City called Queens. Her parents moved to New York from Wilmington, North Carolina.
Her parents did not go to college. They divorced when she was young.
College and Advanced Degrees
Ivy Taylor worked hard in school. She earned a bachelor's degree in American Studies in 1992. She got this degree from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Later, she earned a master's degree in City and Regional Planning in 1998. This was from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2020, she received a doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
While studying, she joined a sorority called Delta Sigma Theta. In 1997, she worked as an intern in San Antonio. She helped groups that focused on affordable housing.
Career in Public Service
After finishing her studies, Ivy Taylor moved to San Antonio in 1999. She started working for the city government. Her job was to help with community development. This means she helped improve neighborhoods and housing.
In 2004, she began working for Merced Housing Texas. This group also helps provide affordable housing. She also served on the City Planning Commission from 2006 to 2008. This commission helps plan how the city grows and develops.
She also served on boards for other important organizations. These included the Urban Renewal Agency and Haven for Hope. She also helped the Martinez Street Women's Center.
Leading a College
On June 1, 2020, Ivy Taylor became the president of Rust College. This is a historic college in Mississippi. She led the college for almost three years, leaving in May 2023.
Becoming Mayor of San Antonio
Ivy Taylor started her political career on the San Antonio City Council. The City Council is a group of elected officials who make decisions for the city.
Serving on the City Council
In 2009, Taylor was elected to represent District 2 on the City Council. District 2 is on the east side of San Antonio. She was re-elected two more times, in 2011 and 2013.
Appointed as Mayor
In 2014, the mayor of San Antonio, Julian Castro, left his job. He was chosen to work for the President of the United States. The city needed a new mayor quickly.
The San Antonio City Council had to choose a new mayor from its own members. On July 22, 2014, the council voted. Ivy Taylor was chosen to be the interim, or temporary, mayor. She became the mayor right away.
Running for Mayor in 2015
At first, Ivy Taylor said she would not run for mayor in the next election. But she changed her mind and decided to run in February 2015.
The election was held on May 9, 2015. No candidate won more than half of the votes. So, a runoff election was held on June 13. This was a second election between the top two candidates.
Ivy Taylor ran against Leticia Van de Putte. Taylor won the runoff election with 51.7% of the votes. This meant she would serve a full two-year term as mayor.
Running for Mayor in 2017
On November 13, 2016, Mayor Taylor announced she would run for re-election. The election was held on May 6, 2017.
She again advanced to a runoff election. This runoff was held on June 10, 2017. In this election, she was defeated by city councilman Ron Nirenberg. Her term as mayor ended.
Mayor Taylor's Time in Office
As mayor, Ivy Taylor worked on several important issues for San Antonio.
City Policies
In 2013, before she was mayor, she voted against a new city rule. This rule would have added more protections against unfair treatment.
When she became mayor, she created a new office. This was the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Its job was to handle complaints about unfair treatment. It also helped solve these problems.
She also helped stop a plan for a new streetcar system in downtown San Antonio. Many people who wanted to save city money were against this project.
Political Views
Ivy Taylor considers herself an independent politician. This means she doesn't always follow one political party. However, she is officially registered as a Democrat. This allows her to vote in party primary elections.
She has said she is "fiscally conservative and socially conservative." This means she believes in careful spending of public money. It also means she holds traditional social values.
Awards and Recognition
In 2004, Ivy Taylor received an award from the San Antonio Business Journal. She was named a "40 under 40" Rising Star. This award recognizes young, successful professionals.
Personal Life
Ivy Taylor has one daughter. When her family lived in San Antonio, they lived in the Dignowity Hill neighborhood. Her husband operated a business that helped people with bail bonds.
Between 2009 and 2020, Taylor was a guest lecturer. She taught at the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Public Policy.
In February 2024, she took on a new role. She became a senior advisor for the University of North Carolina system. She also started teaching at UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Government.
