Angelyne Butler spent her formative years on Fort Lewis Army Base in the State of Washington. In 2004, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue and obtain her Bachelors in Political Science from the illustrious Spelman College. Graduating from Spelman in 2007 was an amazing accomplishment, but Angelyne knew that in order to navigate the challenging waters of government and politics, additional education was imperative. As such, in 2009, she received her Master’s in Public Administration from Troy University. To take it a step further, Angelyne is an All But Dissertation Doctoral Candidate from Walden University. Upon completion, Mayor Butler will have her PhD in Public Policy and Administration. Shortly after matriculating through Spelman, Angelyne began working in government. With over ten years of experience Angelyne was fortunate enough to gain experience in the administrative, electoral, judicial and recreational areas of government. In 2017, Angelyne began to work in the public sector for a Fortune 500 insurance firm. The transition allowed her to meet people within her own neighborhood.

As a result, Angelyne began to notice the lack of lack of growth, lack of development and lack of leadership, within said community. Most importantly, working in her community Angelyne was warranted the unique opportunity to speak with her neighbors on a routine basis. As such, relationships and trust began to develop. As Angelyne became growingly concerned about the high unemployment rate, low median household income, and limited housing options in her community, she knew she could no longer remain on the sideline complaining; rather she wanted to be an agent of change. Angelyne grew up the daughter of Command Sergeant Major Butler.

One of her fondest memories growing up was walking to her father’s office after school. Often times he would be in a meeting but when he got out, she would be sitting at his desk doing homework or spinning around in his chair. Nonetheless, it was moments such as the aforementioned in which Angelyne recalls observing her father make decisions that would affect the military base in which we lived, the base in which he served and the countless servicemen/women and their families in which he was responsible for. Some of the decisions was met with resistance. He was mocked, ridiculed, and judged. In all, he never wavered and ALWAYS maintained his integrity. Via observations of her father, Angelyne learned viable life lessons. Said lessons are ones that she not only held dearly or were passed down to my daughter, but also aided her as she became the 24th Mayor for the City of Forest Park. Said lessons include but is not limited too: ALWAYS maintain your integrity, a person’s commentary of you is often a reflection of themselves, be a visionary, a true servant leader is one who put the needs of the greater good before their own and lastly there are times when you have to be a self-driven advocate especially when you are forced to stand alone.

However, Angelyne learned her most important lesson in leadership when she was fourteen. Angelyne confesses that she never envisioned herself being a teen mother and at times have received scrutiny. However, she strives daily to show those who have walked in her footsteps, that despite life’s ebbs and flow, you do not have to be a classic statistic and can still have a prosperous life. “If my story can help just one young lady change the narrative of her life as a teen mother, then that is all the confirmation I need to keep going” says Mayor Butler. She now proudly proclaims her daughter is her greatest accomplishment. Angelyne is proud to say that despite being a teen mother, her daughter graduated from high school, undergrad and graduate school all with honors, served in U.S. Air Force Reserves, a four-time National Rugby Champion, All-America and has consistently remained on the President’s/Dean’s list or Honor Roll during her matriculation process.

Mayor Butler always knew her calling stemmed around servant leadership. She has stated on many occasions that serving others provides an intrinsic gratification that one cannot put into words. As such, despite life’s ebbs and flow, Mayor Butler always operated in her faith. Her efforts and dedication led to her becoming the 24th Mayor for the City of Forest Park and the first person of color to hold said seat. While being the first is a phenomenal accomplishment being significant and having a significant impact on those in which she is elected to serve is her focus and continuing to make her daughter and family proud and representing the City and Residents of Forest Park with dignity and respect is her utmost priority.