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| Brooke Huckaby |
In a quiet corner of the state, a small town has found a big reason to celebrate. At just 21, Brooke Huckaby has become the town’s youngest female mayor in the state’s history, bringing a fresh perspective and strong sense of purpose to her newest role. As a Gen Z leader with deep roots in her community, she is not just focused on local government but also juggles several responsibilities as a part-time state employee working for the Georgia Department of Agriculture and a full-time student at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC). Her story is one of determination, grit, vision, and a deep commitment to the place she calls home.
Early Life and Connection to the Community
Growing up in Arabi, Brooke was surrounded by the life and pace of a small town, where everyone knew each other, and a shared history bound the community as a farming community. “This town has shaped much of who I am,” she reflects. “The community has also inspired me, and I share a common connection with the people here and our way of life.”
Her family’s involvement in agriculture further deepened her ties to the community. From an early age, she understood the importance of farming as an economic driver and a cultural cornerstone of the town. “It’s one of the main reasons I decided to go with a degree in Agricultural Management at ABAC,” she said. She recalls that since the age of 9, she’s loved all things related to agriculture and wanted to find a way to merge her love of agriculture and community. “Throughout the state, we are big on agriculture; it’s a huge thing for Georgia. Since I have higher political aspirations, I thought this would be a good way to mix the two and make relationships throughout the state to give me options – whether wanting to start a family or putting my career on the back burner.”
Brooke shares a moment with her father, Craig Huckaby, former Mayor of Arabi, as she follows in his footsteps, continuing the legacy of leadership and service in Arabi.
The Decision to Run for Mayor
For Brooke, her passion for community took root early in her life. Her father, Craig Huckaby, served as the town’s mayor for 12 years before deciding not to run for reelection and previously before that worked as a farmer in the community for more than 40 years. “Growing up, I wanted to do everything my dad did. He ran a cotton gin; I wanted to do that, too. He farmed for years, I wanted to do that too.”
As Brooke grew older, she began to see more and more of her community’s involvement and representation in local government slowly fading for younger generations in her town – she stepped up to take matters into her own hands.
“The community inspired me to run for public office,” she said. “So many people my age aren’t seeing the effect that local and national politics have on our lives and our future children’s lives. We can’t expect the older generation who have been running things to continue to do it for us.”
“They aren’t going to be here forever and if we don’t start now, we’re not going to know how to do what we have to do.”
The decision to run for mayor wasn’t taken lightly, but she launched her campaign with encouragement and inspiration from her family and close friends.
Her youth, rather than being a disadvantage, became one of her greatest assets. “For most of my life, I have had a different perspective,” she says. She began understanding the value of hard work and grit at the tender age of 9 on her family’s farm and years later, securing her first job working at Chick-fil-A at 15. “I was always taught that you don’t really appreciate something unless you work for it.”
Her campaign focused on her love and passion for the community that raised her. “Arabi is small, but I love it. It’s so homey and familiar, and it makes me happy,” she said. “It’s why I ran my whole campaign on ‘Stay Rooted’ because I wanted to stay rooted in my beliefs; it’s who I am, it’s where I have been raised, and I don’t want that to change no matter how far I go in my career.”
Balancing Multiple Roles
Since taking office in January 2024, Brooke has mastered the art of balancing her role as a student, a state employee, and a mayor. “My calendar is my lifesaver. As soon as I agree to something, I place it on my calendar and into my phone.”
Brooke takes a selfie while on the campaign trail as she runs for Mayor of Arabi.
Vision for Arabi and Agriculture
One of Brooke’s key priorities as mayor is to ensure that Arabi gets a police department. “I am in the process of starting up our city’s police department because up until I came into office, we didn’t have one.” Before Brooke’s tenure in office, the city paid Crisp County to patrol their portion of the county. “While that is good and great, we love the county, but as a city, we have to invest in ourselves and our city. What are we doing if we aren’t investing in our own communities.”
She’s also passionate about the town's growth and its importance in agriculture. She wants to ensure that cities and farming communities such as Arabi are included in the economic vitality picture of the state’s entire makeup.
“You have people my age that graduate from high school. They leave and go off to large universities such as UGA or GA Southern, and they graduate and don’t want to come back to towns like Arabi. If we continue doing that, all of our small towns will dissipate.”
While in office, she plans to build relationships with leaders and other public servants across the state to combat the disparities in small-town development.
Aspirations Beyond the Town
While Brooke is deeply committed to her town, her aspirations don’t stop there. “I don’t just want to look at this as I am here waiting and looking for the next best thing, but I feel that the learning opportunity and all the things that I am doing currently will prepare me for that next step in my career.” Brooke’s aspirations are to make a change in her hometown, move onto possibly serving on the County Commission, moving onto the House of Representatives and someday being in the Governor’s Mansion.
Her experiences so far as mayor have already started shaping her future goals. “This all ties to me getting my degree, going through the state, and getting to know people know me as me, instead of a politician.”
Community Impact and Legacy
Brooke has made a noticeable impact in her short time as mayor. From making improvements to her city, such as improving communication between the town’s government and its residents, her leadership style is both proactive and inclusive. “I don’t want anyone to ever feel like ‘my word is gold’ – I want everything to be an open conversation and want everyone to feel like their opinions are received and listened to.”
As for her legacy, Brooke hopes to be remembered as someone who stayed true to her roots while paving the way for future generations. “I strive to always have a humble servant’s heart. That is something that has always inspired me in any position I serve in, but especially this position because it’s called public service for a reason. We’re not doing this for ‘self-service’ and it’s not supposed to be for that reason.”
Brooke is a shining example of how passion, dedication, grit and a strong sense of community can drive change. As she navigates her roles and aspirations, she remains committed to her town and its future. “If I can make a difference, no matter how big or small it may be to someone or somebody, to me, it was worth it.”