Mayoral Candidate India Walton is The Change Buffalo Needs.
It was November 20th, 2020 when I sat on my couch browsing the local news and I came across a headline I knew would make waves in Buffalo, NY; “India Walton announces run for Buffalo Mayor”.
My interest in politics, like many of us, was at an all-time high following the stress-inducing 2020 Presidential Election and an entire year of social unrest. In Buffalo, the strain of unemployment, increases in violence, and high COVID-19 positivity rates was felt deeply by all of us. The city made headlines around the country after a video became viral of an elderly man, 75-year-old Martin Gugino, being pushed to the ground by Buffalo police officers during an anti-police brutality protest. In a time where our local government was tasked with stepping up and addressing the crises afflicting our city, we were met with silence by the mayor’s office. Things seemed bleak for Buffalo, until India announced her candidacy.
India Walton is the 2021 Democratic nominee for Mayor of Buffalo and the answer to Buffalo’s calls for transformation. She became a mother at 14 years old and received her GED while pregnant with twins years later. As a nurse in the NICU and Buffalo Public Schools, India became passionate about healthcare advocacy and sought out community organizing opportunities. As the founding executive director of the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust in Buffalo, India impacted the lives of many residents in her work to develop permanent, affordable housing. The news that India was planning to run for mayor was not a shock to those in Buffalo’s organizing circles; her leadership is a force that resonates with the community.
India’s historic mayoral primary win over four-term incumbent Byron Brown is a promising beacon of hope for our city. If she wins, she will be the first female mayor in Buffalo and the first Democratic Socialist mayor of a U.S. city of this size since 1960. Walton’s policy platforms aim to make the city safer, healthier, tackle climate change, revive the local economy, and reform education.
Buffalo is making national headlines again this year, but for the once in a lifetime optimism India’s leadership is inspiring. This election is more than determining Buffalo’s next mayor, it is an opportunity for us to invest in a brighter vision for a city that has been neglected by its current leadership. Every vote counts November 2nd and I hope you join me in voting for India and a new future for Buffalo.
