Debra J. Gammons, a South Carolina native and attorney, today announced her candidacy for mayor of Charleston at the College of Charleston Stern Center Gardens.
Gammons says she will focus on “preserving the city, protecting residents and visitors, and uplifting pride.” Gammons also said she “will ensure that the City of Charleston has a clear vision, a strong strategic plan, and comprehensive inclusion of all neighbors to create a safe, clean, and walkable place to live, work, and thrive.”
Gammons currently serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor and the Director of the Office of Diversity Initiatives at Charleston School of Law, where she began in 2009. At the Law School, Gammons began working with the Diversity Leadership Scholars Program, an inaugural program designed to enhance diversity and inclusion at the Law School and in the community. She also has her own private law practice.
After earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the College of Charleston, she earned her Juris Doctor at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Gammons served as President of Student Government at the College of Charleston and President of the Student Bar in Law School.
She started her law career as Assistant Solicitor in the Ninth Circuit Solicitor's Office; then, moved to the Upstate and served as Assistant City Attorney for Greenville. Gammons has served as President of the Greenville County Bar Association and the Charleston County Bar Association. She is a former College of Charleston Board of Trustee, former College of Charleston Friends of the Library Board Chairperson, and former Commissioner for the South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on Lawyer Conduct. She is a former Elder and Treasurer of Second Presbyterian Church.
Gammons currently serves as the Trinity Montessori School Board of Directors Chairperson, a member of The Charleston Forum, College of Charleston African American Studies Advisory Board, College of Charleston Graduate School Advisory Board. Along with teaching classes (Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Street Law), Gammons works with law students in other ways by serving as Faculty Advisor for Women in Law, the Latina/Latino Law Students Association, Second Amendment Association, First Generation Law Students Association, and as Co-Faculty Advisor for the Black Law Students Association.
“When I was eight years old, I wanted to be President of the United States of America and I wanted to be a lawyer,” Gammons said. “I wanted to create positive changes in my country. My being a girl and my having brown skin did not hinder my desire to help people and to be a catalyst for change. My Mom, my Grandmother, my Uncles, and my Aunts instilled in me strength and tenacity. They had a ‘can do' spirit. My teachers and professors expected me to do my best. I am super grateful to live in the best country in the world and to be able to run for this office and continue to serve people in one of the most beautiful places in the world. As Mayor, I will continue to demand and work for equality, fairness, and inclusion. We can create a better Charleston now and for all.”
Gammons lives on Daniel Island with her husband, Brian McQueen; McQueen is a veteran, having served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division.
Find out more about Gammons on social media @GammonsforMayor and checking out her website GammonsforMayor.com.
