Huntington Beach has marked a significant milestone with Gracey Van Der Mark taking the oath as the city's first Latina mayor at the recent City Council meeting. In a historic turn of events, the surf city celebrated the appointment of Van Der Mark, a 23-year-old resident of Huntington Beach, as she steps into the role to serve a term through 2024.
Emotions ran high as Van Der Mark, daughter of Ecuadorian and Mexican immigrants, embraced her new position, stating, “This is such a historic moment, not only for me but for our City I was elected last year to the City Council, and today, I am proud to serve as the City’s first Latina Mayor,” according to a statement she made. Alongside her husband Pieter, Van Der Mark has been a small business owner raising a blended family of seven in Huntington Beach, which they chose for its safe, high-quality life and family-friendly values.
Before her ascension to the Mayor's chair, Van Der Mark's community service record includes time spent on bond oversight committees for local school districts and a three-year stint on the city's Finance Commission, her dedicated service culminating in a successful 2022 City Council campaign. Her advocacy for the underserved in her community echoes her family's journey, and her new role as mayor promises a continuation of that ethos.
As Mayor, Van Der Mark focuses on the future, stating on the City of Huntington Beach’s official Facebook page, “Moving to Huntington Beach so many years ago changed three generations of lives for the better. I thank my family for their continued support, and I look forward to a great 2024 as your Mayor.” It's clear that for Van Der Mark, her tenure as mayor is not just about political office but about impacting lives as profoundly as her own has been in the city she now leads.
