P R O F I L E
Cynthia Newbille:
In Charge of Her Own Potential
by Loren Pritchett
orn into a working-poor family in Church Hill, Cynthia Newbille, 7th district representative, was
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counted out as a child. “When I was growing up, because I lived in public housing, I was seen as
what we now call at-risk,” she says. “Many people try to decide who we are and what we can
do. They say many of us will not succeed. I was determined that those people would not decide
my potential.”
With encouragement from her mother and father, a domestic worker and gardener respectively, Cynthia
wanted to help contribute to her family’s improved life circumstances as well as the lives around her. “I think
very early on I knew I wanted to make a difference in my community,” she says.
To do that, Cynthia says she knew she needed to dedicate her attention to education and the needs
of the community in which she lived. Educated in the East End of Richmond, Cynthia attended Whitcomb
Elementary, Mosby Middle School and Armstrong High School. She said despite what others forecasted
for her, a handful of teachers believed in her ability. “Because of that I was very focused and very
committed to educational pursuits,” she said.
Because her parents were unable to provide for a post-secondary education, Cynthia had to attend
a college that offered her a free ride. She accepted a full scholarship from The State University of New
York in Long Island. Cynthia earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree while at SUNY and went on
to apply her knowledge in several communities.
After serving in various capacities in New York, California and Georgia, Cynthia returned to Richmond
in 1996. “I’ve had the opportunity to work over the years in a variety of settings that have just been
phenomenal from my perspective. They were not only jobs but opportunities to make a difference in the
lives of people.”
In the last 13 years, Cynthia has served the city of Richmond by working with the Office of Minority
Health, the City Department of Public Health and the City Manager’s Office. Additionally, she worked in
the East End with the East District Initiative—reaching a population of nearly 27,000 and the East District
Family Resource Center.
Cynthia said those professional experiences prepared her for yet another opportunity that would give
her a chance to help improve the lives of people. When the current mayor left a vacancy in the House
of Delegates, the former 7th district representative filled the position, leaving the district seat available.
“Having worked in this community, I saw this as an opportunity to continue my work,” Cynthia said. “I
placed my name in the harbor for appointment but soon withdrew it.”
This was the councilwoman’s first attempt at seeking public office and she did not do so without
difficulty. In order to qualify for appointment to a position, a candidate must live in the district for which they
are running. With hopes of being appointed interim representative, Cynthia relocated to the 7th district.
Many viewed her move as controversial. She saw it as a commitment, withdrew her bid for appointment
and launched a campaign for election instead. “I did everything but sleep in the district,” she said. “I
decided that I was committed and I was going to run and address the concerns of that area.”
Cynthia ran against five candidates on the issues she knew to be present in the community from her
previous roles. She also went door to door during the campaign to get a sense of community concerns. Her
platform was built on responsible economic development, decreasing the unemployment rate, improving
the physical aspects of schools in her district, recruiting and retaining teachers, public safety, affordable
JANUARY 2010
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