Lena Welch ‘20
Teen Romance Editor
Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker spoke at UVA Law Wednesday evening in an event sponsored by the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). Throughout February, BLSA organized events to commemorate and celebrate Black History Month.
Mayor Walker speaks at UVA Law about her experience in local government. Photo Courtesy Lena Welch. ‘20
“Our goals really were to provide a platform for Black voices here in our community to be heard and appreciated by the Law School community at large,” Social Action Chair Eli Jones ’21 said. “We really want to assert the value in hearing from perspectives of Black people in a place where historically they have been excluded.”
Mayor Walker spoke directly to this point as she described her journey to becoming the first Black female mayor of Charlottesville. Mayor Walker not only discussed the power of being in a room where Black voices and female voices have previously been excluded, but she explained how she came to the room in the first place.
“I had no intention of ever running for any political office,” Mayor Walker stated. She began her remarks by describing her education, both formal and informal. Although Mayor Walker did not have a traditional college experience, she dedicated her time to studying criminal justice, psychology, and political science, often connecting the subjects to better understand how the systems of power interact with humans. Mayor Walker also thanks her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother for cultivating the curiosity and courage to ask all of her questions, even when no one is able to give her an answer.
The lessons she learned through her formal and informal education formed the “unshakeable foundation” Mayor Walker credits when it comes to her ability to stand her ground, especially in rooms where Black people have previously been denied entry.
“Mayor Walker is a powerful and urgent voice for justice and change in the city,” Jones said. “I think often places like Charlottesville, which are very politically liberal, can soothe themselves into thinking they can achieve justice by incrementally doing the same old things. Mayor Walker directly challenges that notion and has been a voice for marginalized folks in the city, even when it shakes things up.”
From the beginning of her campaign, Mayor Walker knew she was going to shake things up. She described feeling underestimated, even on election night. “Every room I walk into, people learn pretty quickly that while they're usually able to dictate outcomes and discount individuals I am not be someone that they can do those two things to. And so, I presented a challenge early on, but white power structure, it has the ability to believe that what they say because of their wealth, because of their power that they will make it true whether it is true or not.”
Upon her victory, Mayor Walker sought to follow her campaign slogan of “Unmasking the Illusion” in Charlottesville. Part of this process began when she chose to run as an independent candidate.
“I grew up in a city that had been controlled by the Democratic Party, and I had seen a lot of devastation come out of policies that were enacted by individuals who, according to the political state of this country, have Black people's best interest at heart, brown people's best interest at heart, low-income people's best interest at heart. And I had seen otherwise, so I wanted to make that statement, just by my announcement, that I may not win, but I'm willing to not win and let you know that I think you all also need to change course.”
Fortunately, Mayor Walker has been able to stay on her course, something her unshakeable foundation makes possible, and something she did not hide as she entered the political arena. In her words, “I made sure that individuals knew that I was going to remain centered, and that I was going to remain true to my philosophy, and that they understood that that is ever-changing, and I will tell you when I have changed course and why.
“I thought her speech was absolutely phenomenal,” Jones added. “The experiences she shared showed the need to sometimes break from what’s considered ‘polite’ or ‘civil’ when there are great amounts of injustice that are being perpetrated. More than anything, she reminded us that public service is a job which demands empathy, courage, and urgency.”
Mayor Walker described some of the initiatives she has been able to spearhead as Mayor, including land-use battles, the Home to Hope Program, and an effort alongside Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania to create a more diverse staff in his office, which is in its second year.
“While most of the individuals who go through our criminal justice system are Black, you don’t see any of the prosecutors in the office,” Mayor Walker said. “And being able to have that
Mayor Walker’s speech not only highlighted the historic nature of her service as the Mayor of Charlottesville, but it reminded all of us that we in the Law School bear a responsibility to connect with the wider Charlottesville community. Jones recommended spending money at locally-owned businesses, donating to locally-focused nonprofits and educational centers like The Jefferson School, or volunteering.
“When you take a place like the University of Virginia, with its immense wealth and influence, and juxtapose with the severe income gaps or the large shortage of affordable housing in the city, I think that is something we really need to interrogate,” Jones said. “Especially while we are secluded at North Grounds, it’s very easy to fall into ideas of ‘Town and Gown,’ but that is not a tenable or acceptable reality to live in. Even if you don’t consider yourself a member of this community, then you are a guest, and ought to be concerned with the town other people call home.”
Jones also provided this reminder: “Black History Month is not the end of honoring and listening to Black voices, nor is it the end of the pursuit of justice. Pushing towards justice is work 365 days a year.”
---
lw8vd@virginia.edu