Stephanie Rawlings-Blake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
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Rawlings-Blake in 2013
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| Secretary of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office January 22, 2013 – February 25, 2017 |
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| Chair | Debbie Wasserman Schultz Donna Brazile (acting) |
| Preceded by | Alice Germond |
| Succeeded by | Jason Rae |
| 73rd President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office December 21, 2015 – July 22, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Kevin Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Mick Cornett |
| 50th Mayor of Baltimore | |
| In office February 4, 2010 – December 6, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Sheila Dixon |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Pugh |
| President of the Baltimore City Council | |
| In office January 17, 2007 – February 4, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Sheila Dixon |
| Succeeded by | Jack Young |
| Vice President of the Baltimore City Council | |
| In office 1999–2007 |
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| President | Sheila Dixon |
| Succeeded by | Edward Reisinger |
| Member of the Baltimore City Council | |
| In office 1995–2007 |
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| Succeeded by | Sharon Green Middleton |
| Constituency | 5th district (1995–2004) 6th district (2004–2007) |
| Personal details | |
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Stephanie C. Rawlings
March 17, 1970 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kent Blake (separated) |
| Relations | Pete Rawlings (Father) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Oberlin College (BA) University of Maryland, Baltimore (JD) |
Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake (born March 17, 1970) is an American politician and lawyer. She served as the 50th Mayor of Baltimore from 2010 to 2016. She was the second woman to hold this important role. She also worked as the secretary for the Democratic National Committee. Plus, she was the president of the United States Conference of Mayors.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Stephanie Cole Rawlings was born on March 17, 1970. Her birthplace was Baltimore, Maryland. She grew up in the city's Ashburton neighborhood. Her mother, Nina Rawlings, was a doctor. Her father, Pete Rawlings, was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. This is a group of elected officials who make laws for the state. Stephanie has two siblings, a brother named Wendell and a sister named Lisa.
Education and Learning
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake went to Western High School. This school is the oldest public all-girls high school in the United States. She was elected vice president of her class in 1984. She graduated from high school in 1988.
After high school, she attended Oberlin College in Ohio. She earned a degree in political science in 1992. Later, she studied law at the University of Maryland School of Law. She became a lawyer in 1995. She was allowed to practice law in Maryland in 1996. She could also practice in federal courts starting in 1997.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. This is a Greek-letter organization for college-educated women.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
From 1990 to 1998, Rawlings-Blake was part of the Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee. This group helps guide the Democratic Party in the city. In the 1990s, she also worked as a lobbyist. A lobbyist tries to influence lawmakers on behalf of a group. She did this for the Young Democrats of Maryland.
In 1997, she started working as a lawyer for the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau. This organization provides free legal help to people with low incomes. From 1998 to 2006, she worked for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. This office provides lawyers to people who cannot afford one.
Serving on the Baltimore City Council
In 1995, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake made history. She became the youngest person ever elected to the Baltimore City Council. This council helps run the city. She represented different districts in the city. From 1995 to 2004, she represented District 5. Then, from 2004 to 2007, she represented District 6.
From 1999 to 2007, she also served as the vice president of the City Council.
Leading the City Council
On January 17, 2007, Rawlings-Blake became the President of the City Council. This happened when the previous president, Sheila Dixon, became mayor. The rules of Baltimore City say that if the mayor's office becomes empty, the City Council president steps in.
In June 2007, Rawlings-Blake decided to run for a full term as council president. She wanted to improve education and reduce crime in Baltimore. She won the election with a large number of votes.
Becoming Mayor of Baltimore
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On February 4, 2010, Mayor Sheila Dixon left office. According to Baltimore's rules, the City Council president automatically becomes mayor. So, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake became the mayor of Baltimore City.
She then ran for a full term as mayor in the 2011 election. She won the election with 84% of the votes. In 2012, she shared her goal as mayor. She wanted to help Baltimore grow by 10,000 families.
In September 2015, Rawlings-Blake announced she would not run for mayor again. She said she wanted to focus on the city's future.
Baltimore Protests of 2015
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake faced challenges during the 2015 Baltimore protests. These protests happened after the death of Freddie Gray in April 2015. Peaceful protests turned into violence and looting on April 25, 2015. After a few hours, Rawlings-Blake asked for help from the Maryland National Guard. Two days later, she asked the governor, Larry Hogan, to declare a state of emergency. She also asked for more help from the National Guard.
Some people thought she waited too long to ask for state help. Governor Hogan said he needed a formal request from the mayor to send the National Guard. He later said he knew she was doing her best.
During a press conference, Rawlings-Blake made a comment that was misunderstood. She said, "we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that as well." She later clarified her remarks. She explained that she meant that by giving peaceful protesters room, those who wanted to cause trouble also had space to act. She did not mean she gave permission for destruction.
She also used the word "thugs" to describe some people involved in the riots. This word caused more criticism. Some felt it was racially insensitive. Rawlings-Blake later apologized for using the term.
Working for the Democratic National Committee
In January 2013, Rawlings-Blake was chosen as the secretary of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The DNC is the main organization for the Democratic Party in the United States. She served under Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Rawlings-Blake helped open the 2016 Democratic National Convention. This is a big meeting where the Democratic Party chooses its candidate for president.
What She Believed In and Her Plans
City Budget Management
In 2013, Baltimore City received a report about its finances. This report showed some money challenges the city would face. To fix these problems, Rawlings-Blake created a plan called "Change to Grow." This was Baltimore's first long-term financial plan. It suggested changes to employee pensions, city taxes, and how the city operated. By following parts of this plan, Baltimore was able to reduce a large budget shortfall.
Fighting Urban Blight
When Rawlings-Blake became mayor, Baltimore had about 16,000 empty buildings. These buildings were a problem because the city's population had been shrinking. In 2010, she started the Vacants to Value (V2V) program. This program aimed to fix the problem of empty buildings.
The V2V program had several goals:
- Make it easier to enforce building rules.
- Help people buy empty homes.
- Support big projects to rebuild struggling areas.
- Tear down buildings that were beyond repair to improve neighborhoods.
The V2V program has received awards and recognition. It was praised by the Urban Land Institute and the Obama administration.
Other Activities
In 2015, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake did something unique. She appeared in the musical Chicago for one night. She was the first mayor to perform in this musical.
Awards and Recognition
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has received many awards for her work.
- In 2007 and 2011, she was named one of Maryland's Top 100 Women by the Daily Record.
- She received the Shirley Chisholm Memorial Award Trailblazer in 2009.
- In 2010, she was named an Innovator of the Year.
- The Baltimore Sun included her in its list of 50 Women to Watch in 2013.
- She also received the Fullwood Foundation Award of Excellence (2010).
- She got the Distinguished Leadership Award (2012).
- The Maryland State Senate gave her the First Citizen Award (2013).
- She received the Baltimore Black Pride ICONS We Love Award (2013).
- In 2014, Vanity Fair magazine listed her as one of the Top 10 Best-Dressed Mayors.
Images for kids
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Rawlings-Blake at the White House speaking with Vice President Biden
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