ARABI, Ga. (WALB/Gray News) - A 21-year-old Georgia woman is the youngest female mayor in not only the state’s history but also in the history of the United States.
Brooke Huckaby is the mayor of Arabi, Georgia, a town of just under 500 people.
Huckaby is also a college student studying agriculture technology at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and works part-time at the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
“I’d say that one thing that really inspired me, it was just the lack of interest in all the people my age. They don’t really care about politics, and it really inspired me to take the jump in and get a head start on it. The older generation is not always going to be around to handle things for us,” she said.
While running for office, some citizens questioned Huckaby’s ability to lead at such a young age.
“How is someone supposed to gain any experience without putting themselves into the ring?” she said.
Huckaby said her father, who was the previous mayor of the city, has served as her mentor since she took office in January.
Lindsey Sword has served as the city clerk under both mayors and said that working with Huckaby has been a pleasure.
“Oh, it’s been great! I like having somebody that can think of newer things and bring new, more youth to the community versus some of our all these older councilmen that we have got,” she said.
Huckaby said a typical day consists of doing schoolwork, signing off on work orders for the city, working at the Department of Agriculture and assisting scientists in agriculture research.
“I feel like I’m living three different lives sometimes because I’m bouncing from an interview like this to going to class and then I’m going to work. Balancing all that has not, I would say been a struggle, but it has been a challenge, one that I feel like I’m up to”, she said.
