East Anchorage Book Club with Andrew Gray
The East Anchorage Book Club is an interview podcast where Alaskan leaders discuss politics and community issues.
East Anchorage Book Club with Andrew Gray
Austin and Stephanie Quinn-Davidson: former acting mayor and first lady
Former acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson was Anchorage's leader for an extremely turbulent eight months. The decision to go into public service in today’s political environment is a fraught one, but imagine taking over as mayor during a pandemic after a scandal took down the previous mayor. That was what Austin Quinn-Davidson did on October 23, 2020, and as you’ll hear today, the weight she carried on her shoulders was almost unbearable, but she and her wife Stephanie did it for our city until July 2021 when the newly elected mayor Dave Bronson was sworn in. Today we talk with both Austin and Stephanie. This interview was recorded in Austin’s Assembly office in City Hall and you will hear some occasional street traffic. Disclaimer: Host Andrew Gray does not speak for the Alaska Army National Guard, the US military, or the federal government; he speaks for himself only.
Names mentioned in this episode:
“Alexis” = mayoral chief of staff Alexis Johnson
“Felix” = assembly member Felix Rivera
“Forrest” = assembly member Forrest Dunbar
“Ethan” = former mayor Ethan Berkowitz