Amanda Edwards

A Trusted Community Leader

Amanda Edwards is a native Houstonian, former at-large city council member, attorney, and founder of a community nonprofit who has dedicated her career to public service. From empowering women and seniors through hands-on work in her nonprofit to leading with bold, solutions-driven leadership, Edwards brings a deep and unwavering commitment to her community. 

As a child, Edwards watched her father battle cancer, an experience that showed her just how much public policy can determine life or death. That moment shaped her purpose and drives her mission to deliver policy solutions that serve communities with a sense of urgency. 

Edwards was educated in Houston-area schools and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in political science and then her law degree from Harvard Law School, after working for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Compelled by the recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, Edwards moved to New Orleans to serve as a judicial law clerk and then found a project to empower the city’s youth.

Fighting for Houstonians

Edwards returned to Houston with a broadened perspective and a deep commitment to making a difference in her community. As a public finance attorney, she worked on complex issues  involving public-private partnerships, nonprofit organizations, and tax-exempt bond financing. Her legal expertise gave her the tools to solve big challenges and build stronger communities. When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston in 2017, Edwards stepped up. She mobilized hundreds of volunteers to deliver relief to some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, focusing on low-income seniors hit hardest by the storm.

As a city council member, Edwards led major citywide initiatives to cultivate technology, innovation, and public transit resulting in Houston’s new Innovation District — part of the recommendations stemming from the Tech and Innovation Task Force Amanda initiated and led. She has also led Houston’s efforts to reduce the disparities in accessing capital faced by women and minorities who own small businesses in Houston. Edwards served as the vice chair of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, authored numerous measures to ensure more accountability and good stewardship of the city’s limited resources, and helped lead budgetary sessions analyzing the city’s $5.1 billion budget. She also served on the Economic Development Committee and the Transportation, Technology, and Infrastructure Committee. She initiated and led the High Capacity Transit Task Force for the eight-county region through her service on the Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Council.  Edwards has also mobilized hundreds of volunteers to go door-to-door to render aid in the aftermath of serious disasters like Hurricane Harvey.

Edwards is a community champion who is committed to providing opportunities for everyone to succeed. She is laser-focused on delivering transformative results for her community, from lowering the price of groceries, building better schools, roads, and homes, protecting our health care and Social Security, and standing up to the Trump administration. She will fight tirelessly for reproductive freedom and to restore the rights of Texans’ who seek abortion care.  

Safeguard TX-18

Amanda Edwards is running in a special election for Texas’ 18th Congressional District once held by the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and, most recently, the late Rep. Sylvester Turner. The leaders of this district have fought hard for their constituents — working to lower prices, provide affordable health care, and protect their fundamental freedoms. Edwards has stepped up to be the people’s candidate with a record of delivering impactful results. She is committed to standing up to Trump and Republican extremism as they create chaos and enact harmful policies for Houstonians and is fighting on the front lines to oppose the outrageous gerrymandering attempts to silence the voices of Texas voters. Amanda is the leader Houstonians need to fight on their behalf in Congress, and EMILYs List is proud to stand with her in this special election.