Svante Myrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Svante Myrick
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| Mayor of Ithaca | |
| In office January 1, 2012 – February 6, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Carolyn K. Peterson |
| Succeeded by | Laura Lewis (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 15, 1987 Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Cornell University (AB) |
Svante L. Myrick (born March 15, 1987) is an American politician. He is best known for serving as the mayor of Ithaca, New York. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Myrick grew up in Earlville, New York. He was elected to the Ithaca Common Council in 2007 while he was still a student at Cornell University. In 2011, he ran for mayor of Ithaca and won. When he took office in 2012, he was only 24 years old. This made him the youngest mayor in the city's history. He was also Ithaca's first mayor of mixed-race background.
Myrick was re-elected as mayor in 2015 and 2019. In 2022, he left his position as mayor to become the Executive Director of People For the American Way. The next year, he became the president and CEO of the same organization.
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Early Life and Schooling
Svante Myrick was born on March 15, 1987, and has three siblings. His father, Jessie, is Black, and his mother, Leslie, is white. During his early childhood, his family faced many challenges and sometimes did not have a permanent home.
Because of these difficulties, his mother moved with her four children from Florida to the small village of Earlville, New York. In Earlville, Myrick was raised by his mother and his grandparents. His family worked hard to make ends meet, and his mother often had several jobs. Myrick went to public schools and graduated from Sherburne-Earlville High School in 2005.
After high school, Myrick attended Cornell University, a famous university in Ithaca. He studied communication and was active in student groups. He also volunteered in his community, helping young people with their education. Myrick graduated from Cornell in 2009.
Political Career
Starting in City Government
In 2007, while still a student at Cornell, Myrick was elected to the Ithaca Common Council. At just 20 years old, he became the youngest person ever to serve on the council.
As a council member, he worked on several important projects. He helped create a "tobacco-free zone" on the Ithaca Commons, a popular public area. He also started the Ithaca Youth Council to get young people involved in city government.
Mayor of Ithaca
In 2011, Myrick decided to run for mayor of Ithaca. He won the election with nearly 55% of the vote. On January 1, 2012, he was sworn in as mayor. At 24, he was not only Ithaca's youngest mayor but also the youngest mayor in the history of New York State.
When he became mayor, the city of Ithaca was facing a budget shortfall of over $3 million. Myrick's first budget focused on keeping city services running while making the government more efficient. He combined some city departments and used new technology to save money.
Working for the Community
As mayor, Myrick focused on helping people in his community. In 2013, the City of Ithaca became a "Certified Living Wage Employer." This means the city promised to pay its workers a wage they could live on.
Myrick also worked on a plan to address public health issues in the city. He created a committee to study the problem and find solutions. The committee's "Ithaca Plan" suggested new ways to help people, focusing on prevention and treatment. One idea was to create a program where police officers could guide people toward social services instead of arresting them for minor offenses.
National Recognition
Myrick's work as mayor gained attention across the country. He met with leaders at the White House to discuss how to help working families. In 2015, he was invited to a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. There, he met with young leaders from around the world to talk about making a positive impact.
He was re-elected in 2015 with 89% of the vote and again in 2019 with 76% of the vote. On January 5, 2022, Myrick announced he was leaving his role as mayor. He accepted a new job as the Executive Director of People For the American Way, a national organization.
Awards and Honors
In 2014, Myrick received the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award. This award honors young Americans who are making a positive change in their communities through public service.
In a 2016 survey by Politico magazine, mayors from across the U.S. were asked to rate each other. Myrick was recognized by other mayors as being one of the most innovative and a leader to watch in the future.
See also
- List of mayors of Ithaca, New York
