Breaking: Charlottesville city Mayor Nikuyah Walker will not seek reelection

written by Newspack Team | September 8, 2021

Mayor Nikuyah Walker announced this morning that she has withdrawn from the current city council race and she will not seek a second term on council.In a Facebook post announcing her decision, Walker alleged that in-fighting and racism within city government, as well as her need to take care of herself, are among her reasons for not running for reelection.

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“Dear Black People: I feel like I’ve failed you,” Walker wrote. “I know your struggles and I know what you face everyday in this community. I am sorry. Every time an image of a little Black girl pops into my head, I fall apart. I hope that at some point I can convince her that I’m not being a coward. I hope I’ve given her some tools to survive in this callous world.”



Click here to read her full Facebook post.Walker, an independent, grew up in Charlottesville and was elected to City Council in 2017. She is the city’s first Black female mayor. Her term will end on December 31 at 11:59pm.With Walker out, three candidates remain in this year’s race: Juandiego Wade and Brian Pinkston, both on the democratic ticket, and Yaz Washington, an independent. They’re vying for two spots as both Walker and Heather Hill roll off council.Update: Mayor Nikuyah Walker opens up about her agonizing decision to drop out of the city council race — ‘It’s really taken a toll on me’