Mayor Gaskins looks back on historic first year, ahead to 2026
Gaskins to take on vice chair role at Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Mayor Alyia Gaskins marked the end of her first year in office on Wednesday with a year-end message to residents, highlighting housing approvals, federal workforce support, and efforts to protect immigrant residents as key accomplishments.
Gaskins, who became Alexandria’s first Black woman to serve as mayor when she was sworn in on January 2, framed 2025 as a year defined by external challenges that tested the city’s resilience.
“This past year was marked by challenges, including reductions to the federal workforce, threats to our immigrant neighbors, and rising cost of living,” Gaskins wrote in her monthly council recap newsletter. “But despite it all, Alexandria has remained an inclusive, welcoming city.”
