Brenda L. Lawrence

Infobox Officeholder
name = Brenda L Lawrence


imagesize = 150px
caption =
order = Mayor of Southfield
term_start = 2001
term_end = "Present"
predecessor =
successor =
birth_date = birth date and age|1954|10|18
birth_place = Detroit, Michigan
death_date =
death_place =
constituency =
party = Democratic
spouse = McArthur Lawrence
profession =
religion =


footnotes =

Brenda L. Lawrence (born October 18 1954, Detroit, Michigan) is the current mayor of Southfield, Michigan and the Democratic Party candidate for Oakland County Executive.

Early life

Lawrence grew up in Detroit's northeast side and was raised by her grandparents after her mother died when she was just three years old. [Detroit News, 6/3/2008, Lawrence embraces challenge as Southfield mayor takes on 'iconic' Patterson] . She graduated from Detroit's Pershing High School, and earned her bachelor's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University. [ [http://brendalawrence.com/?q=node/2 Official Biography] ]

Political career

In the early 1990s, as an active member of the Parent Teacher's Association at her children's school, she sought and earned a seat on the Southfield Public Schools Board of Education, serving as president, vice president, and secretary. In 1997, she was elected to serve on Southfield's City Council and in 1999, she became council president. She was elected as mayor in 2001, defeating longtime incumbent Donald Fracassi. [ [http://brendalawrence.com/?q=node/2 Official Biography] ] Lawrence, Southfield's first African-American and first female mayor, was a Michigan delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. [ [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/lawrence.html#0O60M8Z30 Political Graveyard] ] She was re-elected as mayor in 2005 without opposition. As a superdelegate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, she endorsed U.S. Senator Barack Obama for president. [ [http://brendalawrence.com Official Campaign Website] ]

2008 campaign for Oakland County Executive

In May 2008, Lawrence announced her candidacy for Oakland County Executive. [ [http://brendalawrence.com Official Campaign Website] ] She is unopposed for the Democratic nomination to unseat the Republican incumbent, L. Brooks Patterson.

Personal life

Lawrence has been married to McArthur Lawrence for over 30 years. The couple have two children and a grandchild Asya. [ [http://brendalawrence.com/?q=node/2 Official Biography] ]

Electoral history

*2005 Election for Mayor of Southfield [Official Election Results Certified by the Southfield City Clerk]

*2001 Election for Mayor of Southfield [ Official Election Results Certified by the Southfield City Clerk ]

References

External links

* [http://www.brendalawrence.com/ Official Campaign Website]
* [http://brendalawrence.com/?q=node/2 Official Biography]
* [http://www.cityofsouthfield.com/ City of Southfield Website]
* [http://www.citymayors.com/mayors/southfield-mayor.html City Mayors profile]