Victoria Woodards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Victoria Woodards
39th Mayor of Tacoma
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2, 2018
Preceded by	Marilyn Strickland
Personal details
Born	(1965-07-16) July 16, 1965 (age 60)
Political party	Democratic
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army

Victoria R. Woodards (born July 16, 1965) is an American politician. She is the 39th mayor of Tacoma, Washington. She belongs to the Democratic Party. Before becoming mayor, she served for seven years on the Tacoma City Council.

Early Life and Education

Victoria Woodards was born on July 16, 1965. Her parents were Cornelius and Valerie Woodards. She was born in Riverside, California. Her family moved to London, England, for a while. Then they settled in Tacoma, Washington. This was because her father served in the United States Air Force.

In high school, Victoria joined the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. This program helps students learn leadership skills. She went to Lincoln High School in Tacoma. After graduating in 1983, she joined the United States Army. She had her basic training in Fort Dix, New Jersey. Later, she was stationed at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma.

Victoria also took classes at Pierce College. She studied there during the 1980s and 1990s. She was honored as one of Pierce College's distinguished alumni.

Early Career in Public Service

Before entering politics, Woodards worked in business. She then joined the Tacoma Urban League in 1997. She worked as an assistant to Harold Moss, who became her mentor.

In 2004, she was appointed as a parks commissioner. She served on the board for Metro Parks Tacoma. In 2009, she was elected to the Tacoma City Council. As a council member, she helped create the city's Office of Equity and Human Rights. This office works to ensure fairness for everyone.

Victoria also became the president of the Tacoma Urban League in 2011. She held this role until March 2017. In 2014, she became the chairwoman of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health.

In 2016, Woodards wrote an article for The News Tribune. It was titled "Forget us vs. them; racial healing starts with me." In the article, she shared her thoughts on recent events. She hoped people in Tacoma would get to know each other better. She believed they had more in common than they thought.

Personal Life

In 2014, Victoria Woodards' home caught fire. Her home was badly damaged. Luckily, everyone in the house was safe, including her pet dog, Gimzo. Her friends helped raise money for her after the fire.

Mayoral Campaigns

2017 Mayoral Campaign

The 2017 mayoral election was important for Tacoma. It was the first time in eight years that the mayor's seat was open. Victoria Woodards ran against a local architect, Jim Merritt.

During her campaign, Woodards focused on key issues. She wanted to improve public safety. She also aimed to help people experiencing homelessness and those with mental health needs. Another goal was to bring good-paying jobs to Tacoma.

Woodards received support from many people. This included Tacoma's outgoing mayor, Marilyn Strickland. She also had the support of the city council. Victoria Woodards won the election with 19,186 votes. Jim Merritt received 16,090 votes. This election was the most expensive mayoral campaign in Tacoma's history.

2021 Mayoral Campaign

In 2021, Mayor Woodards ran for reelection. She ran against Steve Haverly. Woodards supported a plan called "Home in Tacoma." This plan would allow more multi-family housing in the city. Haverly did not support this plan.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses faced challenges. Woodards helped the city provide loans and grants to businesses. This helped them stay open. Woodards won her reelection with 58% of the votes.

Mayoral Career

Victoria Woodards was first elected mayor of Tacoma in 2017. She won a second term in 2021. She is involved in national leadership roles too. She serves on an advisory board for the United States Conference of Mayors. She is also a vice-chair for a committee focused on jobs and education.

Programs and Initiatives

In 2021, Mayor Woodards helped start "Tidy-Up Tacoma." This program encourages volunteers to clean up the city. It aims to reduce street waste and vandalism.

She also launched "Growing Resilience in Tacoma" (GRIT) in 2021. GRIT is a program that helps low-income residents. Participants receive $500 a month for at least 12 months. This program helps people who are working but still struggle financially. GRIT was funded by both private and public donations.

In 2022, Woodards helped launch the "Safe Youth Campaign." This campaign focused on reducing violence among young people in Tacoma.

Mayor Woodards also wrote an article with April Black. It was about the need for more affordable housing in Tacoma. They discussed policies like "Home in Tacoma." This policy allows more than one home unit on single-family properties. They asked for more financial support from the state to help with housing costs.

Community Engagement

In 2024, Mayor Woodards changed the format of the "State of the City Address." This is an annual speech by the mayor. Instead of a formal speech, she invited residents to a high school. She and other officials met directly with the public. They had "Feedback Stations" where people could ask questions. This new format helps the mayor hear directly from residents.

During a city council meeting in November 2023, some callers made hateful comments. Mayor Woodards handled the situation calmly. She acknowledged the caller and muted their microphone. The council then took a break and decided to end the public comment period early.

Involvement Outside Tacoma

As Mayor of Tacoma, Woodards has been involved in urban leadership at a national level. In 2022, she was elected President of the National League of Cities (NLC). The NLC is an organization for city, town, and village leaders.

Even as NLC president, Woodards continued her work in Tacoma. She created the first Youth Commission for Tacoma. She also expanded Student Government Day. This day allows students to learn about local government.

In June 2024, Woodards traveled to China. She attended a sister city summit. This summit helps build connections between cities in different countries.

Endorsements as Mayor

In October 2022, the Tacoma City Council voted on a new rule. It banned homeless camps near temporary homeless shelters. Mayor Woodards supported this rule. She said it was meant to help people accept services offered to them.

In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Woodards first supported Michael Bloomberg. Later, she endorsed Joe Biden.

Awards

• 2021 Advocacy All-Star Award. This award was given by the Association of Washington Cities (AWC).