Women’s History Month  – Bernita Sims

Women’s History Month – Bernita Sims

Women’s History Month 

Bernita Sims

UDC Alum: First African-American Mayor of High Point, NC

Bernita Sims was the first African-American mayor of High Point, North Carolina. She was elected November 6, 2012 with 33 percent of the vote.

A native of High Point, Sims attended the University of the District of Columbia, where she studied Communications. She is a 2003 graduate fellow of the Institute of Political Leadership at the University of North Carolina -Wilmington.

Sims was a member of the High Point City Council for 10 years, where she served as liaison to the High Point Museum Board and the Human Relations Commission. She also served as chair of the Public Services Committee, member of the Special and Planning Committee, and liaison to the local Alcohol and Beverage Commission.

She was elected Mayor Pro-Tem in 2005 by her fellow council members and served a one-year term.

Sims was extremely involved in community service including serving as board member of the National League of Cities; chairwoman of the Finance and Administrative Legislative Action Committee for the North Carolina League of Municipalities. She was chair of the Democratic Party’s 12th Congressional District, co-chair of the Black Leadership Roundtable of High Point; Secretary of the High Point Branch of the NAACP, and served on the Executive Committee of the Guilford County-Greensboro-High Point Workforce Development Board.

Her numerous awards include the Democratic Women Mary Seymour Award, High Point Housing Authority Pillars of Fame, High Point Chamber of Commerce Minority Business Advocate of the Year, Rhythms of Triumph Honoree – McDonald’s of the Greater Triad, Minority Achievers Public Sector Award, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Unity Summit Service Award.

For more information, follow the link below:

http://gstricklin.wixsite.com/bernita-construction/campaign-platform