Indya Kincannon was sworn in as the 69th Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, with a commitment to putting people first. In just her first 2 years in office, she committed nearly $2 million to purchase the city’s first-ever body-worn cameras for Knoxville police. She also implemented the City’s first co-responder model that partners licensed mental health professionals with officers. Understanding that public safety must be a collaborative effort, Mayor Kincannon created Knoxville’s new Office of Community Safety in 2021 to concentrate on violence interruption efforts in the city. Affordable housing is another critical element for a thriving community. That is why in 2021, with tremendous community support, Mayor Kincannon committed $50 million for the newly created Affordable Housing Fund. When it comes to jobs and economic development, Mayor Kincannon hit it out of the park with her support of a new multi-use stadium in Knoxville. This project is helping to revitalize a site that has sat vacant for decades. The stadium and surrounding redevelopment will bring thousands of jobs to the City, with a total estimated economic impact of $480 million. Mayor Kincannon knows that equitable access to opportunity requires reliable public transportation and affordable high speed internet. That is why in January of 2021, Mayor Kincannon introduced the Freedom Pass, which allows all students, through high school, to ride city buses for free. She also championed the development of municipal broadband, which is currently being installed across the City and into rural areas of East Tennessee. Mayor Kincannon has continued to move Knoxville forward, all while helping the City navigate the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, the City of Knoxville provided dozens of testing and vaccine clinics, initiated a robust COVID information campaign, and paid first responders hero pay for their work on the front lines. Prior to being elected to office, Mayor Kincannon had a diverse career and extensive record of service including 10 years as a member and Chair of the Knox County Board of Education, where she pushed for high quality public schools in every neighborhood. Mayor Kincannon has been a teacher, a budget analyst, and a paralegal for the Department of Justice, where she served as an undercover housing tester for the Civil Rights Division and helped translate for the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Division. Mayor Kincannon has always been an active member of the community. In addition to serving as an officer of the 4th & Gill Neighborhood Organization, she was President of the Beaumont Magnet PTA, President of the West High School Foundation, and a 10-year member of the Project GRAD Board. Mayor Kincannon and her family love to travel and she has led Habitat for Humanity trips to Guatemala and Bolivia. Mayor Kincanon was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Urban and Regional Planning. Prior to that, she earned her B.A. in history from Haverford College. Mayor Kincannon is married to University of Tennessee Law Professor Ben Barton and is the proud mom of two daughters. She resides in North Knoxville and can often be found on the city’s trails and greenways walking her dog, Romeo.
