RICHMOND, Va. -- Ahead of the Nov. 8 election, Richmond mayoral candidate and current Council President Michelle Mosby joined CBS 6 in studio for an interview and then answered questions from voters via Facebook live.
Mosby currently serves on the Richmond City Council, representing the 9th District which covers South Richmond. She is a graduate of Monacan High School in Chesterfield and attended Norfolk State University and Virginia Union University.
Mosby was considered a “political newcomer” at the time when she took on veteran Councilman Doug Conner and won with 64-percent of the vote. Even Mayor Jones’ administration said they were surprised by her victory.
Conner admitted, after a CBS 6 investigation, to living in a Chesterfield home 30 minutes outside city limits, a potential violation of state law.
Mosby's success was mostly attributed to the last minute backing from the city's Democratic Committee, after a speech she gave that resonated with its members.
Mosby, a real estate agent who owns a salon located in the 9th District, said she knocked on thousands of doors in the neighborhood to get that big victory.
Her work within the community is also well known, as an advocate for ex-offenders and reducing recidivism. International Hair and her nonprofit “Help Me, Help You,” both assist with the successful reintegration of citizens returning home from incarceration.
Her first sponsored measure passed by council was Ban the Box, which eliminated a requirement for city job applicants to reveal prior felony convictions in the initial interviewing phase.
In 2015, Mosby was elected by her peers to serve as Council President, becoming the first black woman to hold the position.
As a mayoral candidate whose main political strengths lay in the past two council terms, for her campaign Mosby leans on several prominent deals and relationship building.
She has been considered a reliable ally for the mayor and supported controversial deals such as the potential Shockoe Bottom baseball stadium plan, a plan since abandoned, and the development of Stone Brewing's East Coast headquarters along the riverfront.
On her campaign page, Mosby touts fostering more cooperation internally within the Council, and between Council and School Board, something which she said had not happened in 11 years.
“I have with this council already begun the conversation of a dedicated source of funding for schools,” she also said. Richmond schools were ranked by voters as a top issue in this election.
Mosby serves on the Social Services Advisory Board for the City of Richmond and the Criminal Justice Services Board for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
She told CBS 6 in a previous interview that Richmonders should vote for her “because I not only have roots here, but I am concerned about every facet of the city” and because she “has gained the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for the complexity of local government.”
When asked what positive changes Richmond would see under her tenure, she said that Richmond would see a five-to 10-year plan to transform Richmond neighborhoods and schools – and that Richmond would see Southside become a major component in our master plan.
“Richmond would see systems in place that are functioning at top capacity and services that are provided in excellence,” she said.
All candidates were invited to participate in an interview with CBS 6 and so far, candidates Levar Stoney, Lawrence Williams and Jon Baliles have appeared.
Jon Morrissey is scheduled for an interview Monday, Oct. 10.
