The office of North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown tells the story of a life in public service. Photos with presidents are right at home alongside thank-you notes from local youth sports teams. And after 35 years as a Clark County School District educator, a decade with the city council and now serving as the first Black mayor in Nevada’s history, Goynes-Brown’s focus remains squarely rooted at home.
Elected in 2022, she’s helped usher in a slew of significant projects, including a new Nevada State University campus, the Apex Industrial Park that she says could add more than 70,000 jobs, a multifaceted plan to revitalize the city’s downtown and nearly 1,000 new housing units. Set to term out in late 2026, she’s running all the way through the finish line in her quest to transform the town she’s lived in since 1964 into a “complete city.”
Your father previously served on city council, and now you’re the first Black mayor in Nevada’s history. What does that lineage mean to you personally? And what does it say about how much—or how little—the city has changed?
First of all, as the first African American mayor in the state of Nevada, I don’t want to be the last person in a leadership role like this. And my lineage means a lot to me. I was talking to my father before he passed away and said, “I hope that you are as proud of me as I was of you when you started your political journey.” He was right there when I swore my oath. I had the Bible in one hand, and I reached back for his other hand. That he could be there to witness that meant the world to me and just melted my heart. But knowing that some of these same issues he faced are still prevalent today, it’s like, wow, we still have some work to do.
You were a music teacher and an assistant principal before entering politics. How has your education background informed your approach to governance?
Just like in government, the job is about making sure the kids feel comfortable and safe to come to school, that they have the supplies they need and know that they’re fed and clothed. I joke and say I dealt with little people and their families. And it’s the same today. They’re adults, they still have some concerns and issues, and it’s my job to make sure they’re okay.
The Downtown Gateway project is transforming the city’s core. What can residents look forward to?
For years, even when I was on the city council, I got asked, “Does North Las Vegas even have a downtown?” And ... we do, but it wasn’t clearly defined. So, we’re changing that conversation. NSU is one component of that. And bridging further east, on Lake Mead and Las Vegas Boulevard, we’ll have a walkable downtown where there’s shops, cafes, housing, green spaces and other places where people can gather and have a good time.
How does the new Nevada State University campus fit into this vision?
More residents who live in North Las Vegas will be able to get their educational goals met without having to travel 30 or 40 minutes to classes. For those who have transportation barriers or childcare needs, that will help them tremendously. You have more of a stake in your community when you can grow and learn right here in your own backyard, and you’re also more apt to want to stay in a community that helps develop you.
You’ve also helped bring almost 1,200 new affordable housing units to the city. Why is that such an important issue to you?
I have a son who’s here, and the idea of being able to afford a mortgage right now isn’t something he sees in his future over the next five years. And I understand why, because you look at the price of a house and think, how can I ever afford a $500,000 home? People want a place to live that’s attainable and affordable—whether they’re single, multi-family or senior projects. We can offer that here, and we’re trying to move on that as quickly as we can get shovels in the ground.
What are you most proud of during your tenure?
I’m proud of the progress that North Las Vegas has made overall since I joined city council in 2011. I’m also really excited that the projects we have now are no longer something that we’re thinking about for 10 or 20 years down the road. We were the hardest hit municipality during the Great Recession, and to see us on the rebound—even though North Las Vegas has always had its own identity—it’s going to be an even greater place to live, work and raise a family.
Your time as mayor is up later this year, and you’ve hit your term limit. What’s next?
I’m asked that probably once or twice a week, and I just don’t know yet. I’ve just been so focused on what we’re doing right now. It’ll come. I am not ready to just totally stop and sit on the couch every day. I will get involved in something.
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