Violet Edwards
Violet Edwards | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Madison County Commission from the 6th District | |
| Assumed office November 2020 | |
| Preceded by | JesHenry Malone |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Violet JaFae Ruffin March 3, 1976 Jasper, Alabama, U.S |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Anthony Edwards (m. 2008) |
| Education | University of Alabama (BA) University of Alabama in Huntsville (MBA) |
Violet Edwards (born March 3, 1976) is an American journalist and politician who was elected to the Madison County Commission in the state of Alabama to represent the 6th district of Madison County in 2020.[1] Edwards represents North West Huntsville on the commission a majority-minority district. Upon her election, Edwards made history as the first woman to represent District 6 and the first African American women to ever serve on the Madison County Commission.[2] Edwards unseated gubernatorial appointee JesHenry Malone. Malone was appointed to fill the remainder of the late Bob Harrison's term.[3] Before entering politics Edwards served as a news anchor for both KAIT[4] and WAAY-TV[5] for which she was recognized by various bodies for her outstanding work.[6]
Early life and education[edit]
Edwards was born in Jasper, Alabama to Sandi Perry and Jeff Ruffin. As a child, she lived across the state of Alabama including Florence, Birmingham, and Cordova.[7] Edwards graduated from Cordova High School in 1994. During her time in high school, Edwards studied abroad in Germany. Edwards studied at the University of Alabama where she earned her BA in broadcast journalism. She would later go on to earn her MBA from University of Alabama in Huntsville.[8]
Career[edit]
Edwards began her career as a broadcast journalism, after graduating from University of Alabama Edwards worked across the South for various local syndicated broadcast programs. In 1999 Edwards became an anchor for KAIT News in Jonesboro, Arkansas.[4] After two years with KAIT News Edwards accepted a position with WAAY-TV in 2002 moving to Huntsville, Alabama.[5] Edwards served as a News Anchor and Reporter for the next five years leaving in 2008. In 2008 Edwards accepted a position as a Non-Profit director with Christmas Charities Year-Round.[4] There she put her grant writing skills to work bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the program during the 2008 Financial Crisis.[9] Edwards left Christmas Charities Year-Round in 2014 to pursue her MBA at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.[10] There Edwards served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Edwards would go on to become an Adjunct Professor of Communication in the College of Business while simultaneously serving as the Marketing & Communications Coordinator. In 2017 Edwards open her own small business in her hometown of Cordova.[4] She was promoted to a Development Officer in 2019 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville where she would become a professional fundraiser, working to create scholarship programs for students at the university.[8][4]
Advocacy[edit]
Edwards has served in various advocacy roles. In 2003 she became the Vice President for the Girl's Scouts of North Alabama,[4] she would serve in that role for 4 years. Edwards founded the local chapter of Mocha Moms in 2012. The group is dedicated to creating a support structure for mothers of color. According to her eventual campaign, this program is one of the nearest to her heart.[11] Edwards also serves as the president of the North Alabama Coalition for the Homeless (NACH). During the COVID-19 pandemic Edwards thru her work with NACH helped to provide PPE and testing to the homeless community of North Alabama.[12]
Political career[edit]
Edwards announced she would seek the District 6 seat of the Madison County Commission on July 29, 2019.[13] This marked Edwards's first run for elected office. Edwards was vying for a seat long held by Commissioner Bob Harris who had passed away in October of 2017. In the interim, the Governor Kay Ivey appointed JesHenry Malone, a police captain to fill the vacancy and the remainder of the four-year term.[3] Malone and Edwards were joined by Vernon McCants a perennial candidate. Edwards came in second on Super Tuesday's election receiving 40% of the vote. Due to COVID-19 pandemic Edwards joined local officials by calling for the Attorney General of Alabama and the Govenor of Alabama to delay the runoff election due to health concerns. Governor Ivey rescheduled the election to July 14th. Receiving 55% of the vote Edwards became the Democratic Nominee for Madison County Commissioner to represent District 6. Following the General Election Edwards made history as the first woman to represent District 6 of Madison County and the first African American women that would serve on the Madison County Commission.[2] During the 2020 Election Edwards joined Terri Sewell and other state leaders to honor John Lewis's voting rights efforts in Montgomery, Alabama, as a part of an effort to get out the vote.[14] Edwards was sworn in as a Madison County Commissioner on November 11, 2020[15]
Personal life[edit]
Edwards married in 2008 to Anthony Edwards in Huntsville, Alabama. Together they have three children.[8] Both Edwards's parents were ministers and Edward's herself is a Christian. Edwards has one sister, a local attorney in Huntsville.[7]
Election history[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | JesHenry Malone | 3,765 | 48.29% | |
| Democratic | Violet Edwards | 3,157 | 40.49% | |
| Democratic | Vernon McCants | 875 | 11.22% | |
| Total votes | 7,797 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Violet Edwards | 1,784 | 54.72% | |
| Democratic | JesHenry Malone | 1,476 | 45.28% | |
| Total votes | 3,260 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Violet Edwards | 17,724 | 96.75% | |
| Write-in | 595 | 3.25% | ||
| Total votes | 18,319 | 100% | ||
References[edit]
- ↑ "RUNOFF ELECTION RESULTS FOR U.S. SENATE, NORTH ALABAMA RACES". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Violet Edwards elected Madison County's first Black woman commissioner". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "JesHenry Malone appointed to Madison County Commission seat". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Violet Edwards LinkedIn". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "WAAY Staff". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "Violet Edwards Honors and Awards". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Violet Edwards interview with The Grassroot". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Violet Edwards Bio". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "Informational Campaign Series: Becoming Violet". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "Violet Edwards Profile in Rocket City Moms Blog". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "Violet Edwards campaign on Mocha Moms". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "Over 100 homeless citizen tested negative for COVID-19". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "Violet Edwards Candidacy Announcement". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "NAACP to honor Lewis with Weekend Caravan". Retrieved 2020-11-11.
- ↑ "First Black woman sworn into Madison County Commission". Retrieved 2020-11-11.
- ↑ "2020 Madison County Commission District 6 Primary Election". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "2020 Madison County Commission District 6 Primary Election Runoff". Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- ↑ "2020 Madison County Commission District 6 General Election". Retrieved 2020-11-07.
External links[edit]
https://www.facebook.com/votevioletd6
https://www.instagram.com/thevioletedwards
https://twitter.com/edwards_violet
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJttjCBm2XMPjwSTIuyNQPg
https://www.madisoncountyal.gov/government/about-your-county/district-six
This article "Violet Edwards" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Violet Edwards. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- 1976 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- African-American journalists
- African-American people in Alabama politics
- Alabama Democrats
- American women journalists
- Politicians from Huntsville, Alabama
- University of Alabama alumni
- University of Alabama in Huntsville alumni
- Women in Alabama politics
- Delta Sigma Theta
