Mayor Levar M. Stoney is serving the final year of his second term as the 80th Mayor of the City of Richmond, VA. He was raised in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia by his father, a custodian, and his grandmother. In 2014, he became the first African-American to serve as Secretary of the Commonwealth. Under Governor Terry McAuliffe, he led the transformation of Virginia’s rights restoration process, restoring civil and voting rights to more than 173,000 returning citizens -- more than any other state in the nation and more than the previous seven Virginia governors combined. Since his election in 2016, Mayor Stoney has distinguished himself as a progressive, energetic and innovative leader who is transforming the Commonwealth’s capital city into a more inclusive, equitable and welcoming place – a “Capital of Compassion.” During his term, he has increased investments in public education by 46 percent, rebuilt Richmond’s roads, instituted fare free mass transit, and committed more than $75 million to affordable housing and homelessness. He believes in building schools, community centers and affordable housing, and taking down racist monuments -- and barriers to opportunity for all of Richmond’s residents. He serves on the Advisory Board member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and currently chairs the Children, Health and Human Services committee. Mayor Stoney also serves as Vice President of the Democratic Mayors Association.
