LaRuby May facts for kids

LaRuby Zinea May (born December 28, 1975) is an American politician and lawyer. She served on the Council of the District of Columbia for Ward 8 in Washington, D.C..

May won a special election on May 10, 2015. She took the place of Marion Barry, who had passed away. She served the rest of Barry's term, which ended in January 2017. As a council member, she focused on important issues in her community. These included public safety, city services, and building a new sports arena in her ward.

In 2016, she ran for a full four-year term but lost the primary election to Trayon White. May is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early Life and Education

LaRuby May was born in Pensacola, Florida. Her father, Reverend Theophalis May, was a pastor and owned a construction company. Her mother's name was Mary.

May attended several colleges. She earned a bachelor's degree from Eckerd College in Florida. She then moved to Washington, D.C. and received a master's degree from George Washington University. In 2006, she earned a law degree from the University of the District of Columbia.

Career Before Politics

May moved to Ward 8 in 2002. While studying law, she worked for community programs that helped children. She also worked for D.C. Council member Marion Barry as an intern and later as his Director of Constituent Services. This job involved helping people in the community with their problems.

In 2007, May joined the Vision of Victory Community Development Corporation. This group helped young people learn job skills and built affordable housing. She became the executive director in 2008.

May also served on the board for the District of Columbia Housing Authority. This agency manages public housing in the city. She was appointed to the board in 2009 by Marion Barry.

Working with Muriel Bowser

In 2012, May helped start the Community College Preparatory Academy. It was the first charter school for adults in Ward 8. A charter school is a public school that is run independently.

May became a close supporter of Muriel Bowser, who was running for mayor. May had met Bowser during an earlier campaign in 2010. When Bowser ran for mayor in 2014, May was her field coordinator for Ward 8. She helped Bowser win an important local vote, which was a key moment in the election. After Bowser won, she named May to her transition team to help plan for her new role as mayor.

2015 Special Election

After Council Member Marion Barry died in November 2014, a special election was held to fill his seat. May decided to run for the position. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other local leaders supported her campaign.

May was very successful at fundraising. She raised more money than any of the other 14 candidates. This helped her share her message with voters across Ward 8.

The election was very close. On election night, May was ahead of her main opponent, Trayon White, by only 152 votes. After all the remaining ballots were counted, May won by just 78 votes. She was officially declared the winner on May 14, 2015.

Time on the D.C. Council

LaRuby May was sworn into office on May 14, 2015. She was appointed to committees that focused on housing, health, and the justice system. She often supported Mayor Bowser's plans and budget ideas.

Public Safety

One of May's biggest challenges was dealing with crime in Ward 8. To connect with residents, she held weekly "pop-up" events in different neighborhoods. These events had free food and staff from city agencies to help people find jobs or services.

May supported new laws to improve public safety. She worked with other council members on a bill to create counseling and job training programs for at-risk residents. She also wanted stronger rules for security guards to make sure they were well-trained.

Community Development

May supported a plan to build a new sports arena in Ward 8. The arena would be a practice facility for the Washington Wizards and Washington Mystics basketball teams. Mayor Bowser and May believed the project would bring jobs and economic growth to the area.

Other Issues

May was active on many other topics. She suggested opening a park for dirt bikes to give people a safe place to ride. She also introduced a bill to rename the Columbus Day holiday to "Indigenous Peoples' Day" to honor Native Americans.

2016 Election

In January 2016, May announced she would run for a full four-year term on the council. She again faced Trayon White in the Democratic Party's primary election. A primary election is a vote to decide which candidate will represent a political party in the main election.

This time, White won the election with 51% of the vote, while May received 43%.

Personal Life

May has lived in Washington, D.C., since 1997 and in Ward 8 since 2002. She is a member of the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Election Results

2015 Special Election

2016 Primary Election