Irma Anderson

Irma Louise Anderson (née Husbands; January 18, 1931 – January 28, 2024) was an American politician who was the elected mayor of the city of Richmond, California, serving between 2001 and 2006. She ran for re-election as the incumbent Democrat in the 2006 mayoral race and lost to Green Party challenger councilperson Gayle McLaughlin by 192 votes.

7 quotes found

"I’ve lived a great life."

"As people say, from the small acorn comes the mighty oak, and my mother was a giant amongst giants."

"She did not do it for the pomp and circumstance but did it so that the people who could not speak, she could deliver their message. My mother was a pillar for voices that were unrepresented and a lighthouse for folks in troubled waters — giving them hope that, at the end of the night, there was light."

"She was a fierce advocate, but she also had a great bedside manner — always making sure to ask about family and make those connections. She really cared about people individually, which drove her."

"Her talent and determination allowed her to break barriers by being Contra Costa’s first African-American Director of Public Health Nursing, Richmond’s first black female city councilmember and only black female mayor."

"She truly loved the people of Richmond."

"Irma was a dear friend and my mentor."