Opinion: Women lead a quarter of U.S. cities. Let’s make it more.

In 2007, I was a twenty-something lawyer and soon-to-be mom looking for a place to call home when I stumbled upon New Rochelle. Just 30 minutes from New York City, it offered the perfect balance of small-town charm and big-city energy I was seeking. Nearly two decades later, I’m raising my two beautiful children in New Rochelle. 

If you would’ve told me back then that I’d become mayor of New Rochelle, I would’ve never believed it. I was a new mom attending community meetings about a local park. Along the way, people saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself. What started with participating in community meetings turned into a stint on the New Rochelle City Council, which ultimately led me to become the first woman and person of color to be elected mayor in 2023.

Mine is the story of many women leaders across the state and country who haven’t necessarily sought out their positions, but have become the staunch advocates their communities needed. Today, more women than ever are leading their communities; over a quarter of U.S. cities have women mayors.

While I can’t speak for others, I know that my lived experiences greatly inform my leadership, which is deeply rooted in equity, innovation and the empowerment of every resident in New Rochelle’s diverse community – a community that is rapidly growing.

During my time in office, New Rochelle has evolved from the fastest-growing city in Westchester County to the fastest-growing city in all of New York state. As we grow, I’m committed to maintaining the diversity that drew me to our vibrant and welcoming community years ago. Part of that means ensuring our housing remains affordable and accessible for folks of all income levels and from all walks of life.

Over the past decade, we’ve brought online more than 11,000 new units of housing thanks to our unique system of housing creation. These are 11,000 homes – 11,000 kitchen table moments we’ve helped create. And by giving current New Rochelle residents preference for a portion of our new affordable units, we’re making sure that existing residents aren’t pushed out as newcomers move in – an unfortunate yet avoidable side effect of population booms. 

Our existing residents all make unique contributions to the fabric of our city and are essential to the collaborative atmosphere New Rochelleans – including myself – have come to know and love. So, as we prepare to welcome 15,000 newcomers to downtown New Rochelle over the next decade, we’re developing strategies to invite them into our community as valued and contributing members.

While making sure folks have homes is crucial, it’s only one piece of a much larger puzzle to ensure our city grows in a way that feels true to who we are. That means creating inviting public spaces, supporting small businesses with tenant incentives and streamlining zoning to empower local entrepreneurs – the backbone of our economy and the heart and soul of our community. All of these efforts comprise our Downtown Retail Strategy, a plan to turn on the lights on the first floors of our downtown buildings.

This work is deeply personal to me. With over a year in office and transformative projects underway, I remain a steward of my community, and I’m determined to foster an environment where every New Rochelle resident feels seen, heard and represented. It took time, but my ideas for my community eventually made it from my kitchen table to my local community meeting and all the way to City Hall. 

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I encourage women to take steps – both big and small – to elevate their voices. The unique perspectives shaped by our diverse identities and experiences are incredibly valuable, especially in challenging times. As women, communities of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals face increasing pressures, it’s more important than ever to have local leaders who will stand up for their communities and advocate for inclusivity, even when others step away.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to making an impact, and every woman’s path will be different. But I hope my journey inspires others to step into their own leadership – whether that means serving in government, speaking up at a community meeting or simply making their voice heard at the kitchen table.