Dumfries Town Councilwoman Cydny A. Neville formally announced on Friday that she will seek the Democratic nomination for the 52nd House of Delegates district. 

Neville, a Virginia native and longtime resident of Prince William County, has served on the Dumfries Town Council since 2018 when she was first elected.

“To get the change we want to see, it has to come from us. As an educator, I’ve been extremely concerned about the inadequate support teachers, essential employees, and frontline workers have received during the pandemic,” Neville said. “My experience puts me in the unique position to understand the changes we need and I’m ready to be the one of us that steps forward to help deliver it.”

Born and raised in Alexandria, she is a graduate of  Mt. Vernon High School and Virginia State University. As a member of the Dumfries town council, she has championed legislation to update the town’s nondiscrimination policy to include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. She stands for environmental issues and has championed the local town policies that equitably support underserved communities.

Neville has also served as a voice for racial justice on the Town Council by introducing resolutions to condemn systemic racism and recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday in the Town of Dumfries. She was also a driving force behind renaming Confederate Court to Liberty Lane.

For two decades Neville has developed, managed, and maintained community engagement by enhancing programming for area nonprofits, establishing community partnerships, and improving local government outreach efforts. She has received a number of recognitions for her service to the community, including but not limited to:

• 2014 – Prince William County Human Rights Honoree
• 2017 – Outstanding Adult Volunteer of the Year from the Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards program
• 2018 – The first “Real Good People” award honoree from radio station WPGC 95.5

Neville is also a published author, and she is the CEO and founder of the Virginia Black Lifestyle Magazine (VBLM), a digital medium created particularly for Black citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia that features lifestyle content celebrating Black culture. She also wrote the book, “Baby, You Are Loved,” the first installment in a children’s series designed for co-parenting families. 

Neville is a primary challenger for Delegate Luke Torian who was first elected in 2009. Torian currently serves as Chair of the Appropriations Committee.