Manassas, VA–Patricia Richie-Folks, a local business manager, announced her candidacy for the May 1 election for the Manassas City Council. She is the first Democrat in decades to run for Council member in Manassas, Virginia.

In her acceptance speech at the Democratic Caucus on February 7, she said, “I am committed and focused on making the City of Manassas the best place to live for all. We need transparency and inclusiveness in local government. We need input from all, because we all live here and the decisions that the council makes affects us all.”

Patricia has focused her campaign with great enthusiasm on economic development – because that’s the key to having the resources necessary to better fund education, public safety and all the core services that local government provides.

Through her combined work and professional experience – as General Manager of Laundry at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a small business owner of P&P Enterprise construction company, and now a business manager of Asian Fortune newspaper – Patricia understands employment, financial and policy issues, and has experience in applying her Business Administration education to address today’s concerns.

A proud member of First A.M.E. Church of Manassas, Patricia is active in her community, and appreciates the diversity and warmth that she has experienced here.

As a Council member, she will be a champion for transparency in local politics and will work to bring a sense of inclusiveness to the community. Patricia will devote her time, energy and resources to benefit the people that she serves and ultimately bring a fresh perspective to the Manassas City Council.

About Patricia

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, the daughter of a preacher, Patricia moved to Miami with her family where she graduated from Miami Jackson Senior High School.

With the eventual goal of becoming an entrepreneur, she furthered her education by attending the Miami-Dade Community College, where she received an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration.

Patricia is married to John Folks, a native Virginian, and the mother of two amazing children, Kimberly and Cyril, a beautiful daughter-in-law, Eunice and a wonderful son-in-law, Darryl. She also enjoys the love of her three grandsons and 10 step-grandchildren.