Our Daily Show Interview! Tiana Gipson: Candidate for ASCUD Board, and Ward 2 Alderwoman
ALTON – Tiana Gipson, candidate for Ward 2 Alderwoman and the Alton School Board, stopped by Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to share more about her experience and priorities ahead of the April 1, 2025 elections.
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Gipson was appointed to the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education in 2023. In the race for Ward 2 Alderwoman, Gipson is challenging longtime incumbent Carolyn MacAfee and competing against another challenger, Martha Pfister.
Asked why she decided to run in both the school board and aldermanic races, Gipson expressed a passion for giving back to her community in every capacity possible. She added that her conversations with city officials like 4th Ward Alderwoman Rosetta Brown, Mayor David Goins, and others also inspired her to run.
“Acts of service [have] always been a great passion of mine … I said, ‘You know what? Let me give it a shot, and see how I can better equip the community that I love,’” Gipson said. “I think the reason for running for both is simply because I love to give back and I love to help people.”
While she’s able to run both campaigns, Gipson won’t be able to hold both positions. If she happens to win both races, she’ll have to choose between the School Board seat or becoming Alton’s next Ward 2 Alderwoman. Whether she wins both, one, or none of the races she’s running, Gipson said she plans to keep serving Alton in some capacity, with plans to run again next election cycle.
Gipson was appointed to the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education in 2023. She described her time on the board as a “fantastic experience,” and is ready to give 100% of her effort, whether as a school board member or alderwoman.
“The school board is right there, and the 2nd Ward, running for Alderwoman is a new experience,” Gipson said. “I can’t really say which one, I just feel like wherever God leads me, that’s the role that I’m going to put all my effort into.”
Giving her full effort is nothing new for Gipson; while working in the medical field caring for elderly patients, she also has an extensive history of volunteering throughout the community.
“I’ve done a lot of community aspect work, I’ve worked along with organizations giving back into the community,” she said. “Whether it’s been Easter egg hunts, feeding the homeless, going to the overnight warming shelter, I’ve done Toys For Tots, I’ve done a lot of things in the community – and it truly makes me happy to get out there, because that’s where my passion is.”
If she does win her bid for Ward 2 Alderwoman, Gipson said she would hit the ground running getting to know the needs of her constituents on day one.
“The first thing I need to do is every weekend consistently, get to know the constituents, because they’re the ones I’m serving,” Gipson said. “I need to get out there and, day one, learn the people and their needs. That’s what I want to do – I want to learn and lead so I can better serve the people.”
After knocking on some doors around the neighborhood, Gipson said she’s mainly identified two key priorities for Ward 2 residents: infrastructure and safety. She acknowledged the poor condition of Alton’s roads while showing a willingness to work with the city’s hard-working Public Works Department and learn more about the process.
Whether she’s elected as an alderwoman, back to the School Board, both, or neither, Gipson said she will remain committed to working for Alton and its residents.
“No matter what the outcome of the election is, I’m still going to consistently do what’s best and get out there and work hard for the people,” Gipson said.
To find out more about Gipson’s vision for both positions and the City of Alton, see her full State of the Race 2025 interview at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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