Vi Lyles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vi Lyles
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Lyles in 2019
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| 59th Mayor of Charlotte | |
| Assumed office December 4, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Jennifer Roberts |
| Mayor Pro Tempore of the Charlotte City Council | |
| In office December 2015 – December 4, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Julie Eiselt |
| At-large member of the Charlotte City Council | |
| In office December 2, 2013 – December 4, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick Cannon/Beth Pickering |
| Succeeded by | Dimple Ajmera/Braxton Winston II |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Viola Alexander
September 28, 1952 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
John Lyles
(m. 1996; died 2013) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Queens University (BA) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (MPA) |
Viola Alexander Lyles (born September 28, 1952) is an American politician. She has been the 59th mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, since 2017. Mayor Lyles is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming mayor, she served on the Charlotte City Council.
Contents
About Vi Lyles
Early Life and Education
Vi Lyles grew up in Columbia, South Carolina. Her dad owned a construction business, and her mom was a teacher. She went to Queens University of Charlotte and earned a bachelor's degree in political science. Later, she received a master's degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Family Life
Vi Lyles was married to Wayne Alexander, who was a state attorney. They were married for 12 years until he passed away in 1987. She later married John Lyles, who passed away in 2013. Vi Lyles has two children from her first marriage: Kwame Alexander and Aisha Alexander-Young. Her daughter, Aisha, is known for her work in helping communities and organizing events.
Working for Charlotte
City Council Member
Before becoming mayor, Vi Lyles worked for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. She was a budget analyst, then the budget director, and later an assistant city manager. She also worked as a consulting director for different groups. In 2012, she helped with community outreach for the Democratic National Convention held in Charlotte.
In 2013, Lyles was elected to the Charlotte City Council. She represented the entire city, not just one area. In 2015, she was chosen as the mayor pro-tem. This means she could act as mayor if the main mayor was not available. After some community events in 2016, she suggested a plan to help bring people together and reduce differences in the city. Parts of her plan were approved by the council. In 2016, she also supported a rule to protect LGBTQ individuals from unfair treatment in public places.
Becoming Mayor
In Charlotte, the mayor and some council members are elected by the whole city. Other council members are elected by specific districts. The city also has a professional city manager who handles the daily running of the city.
Mayoral Elections
Vi Lyles ran for mayor of Charlotte in 2017. She first won against the mayor at the time, Jennifer Roberts, in the Democratic Party primary election. A primary election is when people from the same political party vote to choose who will represent them in the main election.
After winning the primary, Lyles ran against Kenny Smith, a Republican city council member, in the main election. She won the 2017 Charlotte Mayoral Election with about 59% of the votes. This made her the first African-American female mayor of Charlotte. She was also the first person who used to work as a city administrator to become mayor.
In 2019, Mayor Lyles ran for a second term. She won the Democratic primary again and then won the general election against David Michael Rice. She received about 77% of the votes.
She ran for a third term in 2022. After winning the Democratic primary, she won the general election against Stephanie de Sarachaga-Bilbao. Mayor Lyles secured about 68% of the votes, winning her third term as mayor.
During her 2017 mayoral campaign, many groups supported Vi Lyles. These included local and national organizations like the Black Political Caucus, Charlotte Firefighters Association, Human Rights Campaign, and The Charlotte Observer newspaper.
Mayor Lyles' Focus Areas
Growing Charlotte's Economy
When Mayor Lyles started her term in 2015, Charlotte's unemployment rate was around 5.30%. She helped bring many new jobs to the city. Companies like Honeywell, Lowe's, and Microsoft chose Charlotte for their expansion. Local businesses like LendingTree also grew. These efforts led to over 27,000 new jobs. As more jobs became available, the unemployment rate in Charlotte generally went down. For example, it was around 3.76% in 2022.
Helping with Housing
In April 2018, Mayor Lyles worked to expand the Housing Trust Fund. This fund helps build affordable homes for people who have lower incomes. It provides support to make sure more housing options are available.
Promoting Fairness and Equality
On November 1, 2021, Mayor Lyles started the Racial Equity Initiative. This project aimed to invest $250 million to help address unfairness and create more opportunities for everyone. The money was used to build a new Center for Digital Equity. It also helped improve six key neighborhoods in Charlotte. Part of the plan was to support Johnson C. Smith University, a historically Black college. The initiative also encouraged organizations to help Black leaders and leaders of color advance in their careers.
Improving Transportation
Mayor Vi Lyles also focuses on improving transportation in Charlotte. This is important because Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. To help people move around the city, she worked with the Charlotte Area Transit System. They opened a 19-mile light rail line during her first term. This railway helps reduce traffic and makes it easier for people to get to different parts of the city. Mayor Lyles also supports a "Vision Zero" plan. This plan aims to make roads safer and reduce traffic accidents.
See also
- List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States
