Cheri Bryant Hamilton was elected to the first Louisville Metro Council in November 2002. She was re-elected to a second term in November of 2006. Previously, she served on the Louisville Board of Aldermen representing the city’s Twelfth Ward since February 2000. She has long been active in education, youth, and civic organizations throughout the community.
Councilwoman Hamilton was formerly the Clerk of the Board of Aldermen, a position to which she was elected eight consecutive terms by members of the Board. A graduate of Loretto High School, received her bachelor of arts degree from Fisk University and her juris doctor degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law. She previously worked in city government as a legislative assistant, and as the city's Affirmative Action Monitor, Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator and Legal Assistant to the Director of Law.
Prior to returning to local government, she worked as a Program Coordinator with the Adult Education division of the Jefferson County Public Schools; coordinated the Displaced Homemaker/Single Parent Program; wrote grants for the school district which provided education and job training for the homeless; and coordinated workplace education programs in local companies. In addition, she was a principal assistant with the Kentucky Commission on Women under former Gov. Martha Layne Collins’ administration.
Long active in democratic politics, Councilwoman Hamilton has served on local, state and national democratic leadership committees. She has been a delegate to three Democratic National Conventions; served on the local Democratic Executive Committee; chaired the state Democratic Party's Executive Affirmative Action Committee; and served as an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee and the Executive Committee of the Kentucky Democratic Party. She is a charter member of the Kentucky Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (KBC-LEO) and the Louisville Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Councilwoman Hamilton has been an active member of the Jefferson County Adult Education and Advisory Council, Chickasaw Federation; West Louisville Economic Advisory Alliance; Shawnee Neighborhood Association; Louisville Chapter Jack and Jill of America, Inc.; and Delta Sigma Sorority. She was recognized as a “Champion for Children” by the Jefferson County Public Schools, an “Unsung Heroine” by the Louisville Chapter of The Links, Inc.; and received the Rev. Bob Burks Humanitarian Award, the Professional Achievement Award by the Louisville Defender, the NAACP Voter Empowerment Award, and the SGI-USA Humanitarian Award.
She organized the District 5 Youth Advisory Council for young people to discuss issues impacting youth and how they can affect change in their community; District 5 Neighborhood Advisory Committee and a West Louisville Crime Prevention Council.
She is currently a member of the Planning & Zoning and the Ad Hoc Committee of the Flash Flood of 2009. She previously chaired the Budget; Government Accountability and Government Affairs Committees.
As a Metro Council representative, Hamilton fought to toughen the animal control ordinance regarding dangerous dogs; mobilized her community to vote four precincts dry to prohibit alcohol sales and reduce crime in the Shawnee neighborhood; secured a $1million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for a five year “Weed and Seed” program in Shawnee to prevent crime and revitalize the neighborhood;and formed a resident-based West Market Street Advisory Committee to study and develop recommendations to revitalize the corridor and recently secured $1 million in the Metro Budget to begin implementation of phase 1 of the plan. In August, Hamilton sponsors an “Outdoor Free Family Film Festival” in Shawnee and Portland Parks for area residents,and in September an annual Community Celebration to recognize district volunteers as Molly Leonard Community Service award recipients. This summer she spearheaded the return of The Diirt Bowl to Shawnee Park so that area young people would have constructive social, leisure and recreational activities..
Councilwoman Hamilton lives in the Chickasaw Neighborhood of the West End and has two children, Victoria and William III