An Alexandrian Feeling Blessed To Be Where He Is

Alexandria, VA – Alexandria is a city for people of every age and activity level, for tourists and homebodies, for hiking and history. Both the neighbors and the newcomers fall in love with Alexandria when they get to know the city, but do those neighbors know each other?

Get to know your fellow Alexandrians with Z The People. This month, Z The People introduces David Lord, our Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney.

Growing up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, David might not have necessarily imagined building a life out on the East Coast. Still, each step of his life slowly drew him here.

David moved to Arlington in 2000 to attend George Mason University School of Law. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2005 and began working for the City of Alexandria. “I lived in Old Town above one of the stores,” recounts David.

Each step of David’s life, from education to career, had slowly drawn him to Alexandria, but that pace was rapidly picking up speed.

On January 20, 2008, at a local bar, David met Greg Parks, who would move David to Alexandria more permanently. They bought a house together in 2013, and on January 20, 2019, they married.

“Alexandria is such an incredibly welcoming, diverse community. We have never felt anything but accepted and embraced here,” says David. “We considered ourselves married for many years before [our wedding], but for it to be legalized was of huge significance.”

Today, David is the Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney, husband Greg is the Clerk of Court, and they live with their two cats in Rosemont.

One year after their marriage was legalized, COVID-19 struck the globe and disrupted communities and individuals beyond imagination. David and Greg faced their own challenges.

David explains, “We both work in the courthouse, and this year has been a challenging time. There were all of these functions that had to remain ongoing for people behind the scenes.” But David credits the city and citizens of Alexandria for getting him this far in his life here.

“I can’t imagine we would be anywhere else but Alexandria,” he states. “I love my job, I am excited about going to work, and I am blessed to be in that position.”

When they aren’t working, David and Greg enjoy exploring the offerings of Alexandria and beyond.

“All the outdoor trails are fantastic,” David says, “as is the homegrown theater. At the Little Theater of Alexandria, they produce programs that blow your mind. Alexandria has a beautiful way of matching the urban D.C. environment with the feeling of being a small community.”

A community for all ages, a great place to raise a family with a great cost of living, David and Greg hope to retire in Alexandria. Until they do, the city is sure to continue its growth.

Social distancing does not make for great social opportunities, but as vaccines roll out and the weather warms up, more and more people will discover that the residents of Alexandria are indeed as amazing as the city itself.

A Few Life Facts About David Lord

Job: Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney

Pet: Two Cats

Favorite Hobby: Running, walking, and biking at Holmes Run Trail in West End

Favorite Local Restaurant: Taco Bell Cantina or Dos Amigos by Braddock Road Metro

Favorite Day Trip: Staunton, Virginia

Favorite Alexandria Neighborhood: Old Town, West End

Favorite Vacation Spot: Provincetown, Massachusetts on Cape Cod

Describe Alexandria in One Sentence: “Alexandria offers it all.”

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