India Walton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids India Walton
Walton in 2022
Personal details
Born	(1982-06-14) June 14, 1982 (age 43) Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Vernon Walton
Children	4
Education	State University of New York, Erie (AS)

India B. Walton (born June 14, 1982) is an American activist and nurse. She is known for her work in community organizing and for running for mayor of Buffalo, New York. In 2021, she won the primary election for mayor as a Democratic Party candidate. However, she later lost the general election to Byron Brown, who ran as a write-in candidate.

Early Life and Education

India Walton was born in Buffalo, New York. She was raised by her mother along with five siblings. She went to Lorraine Elementary and Leonardo da Vinci High School.

Walton became a mother at a young age. She later earned her General Educational Development (GED) certificate. She then studied nursing at SUNY Erie and earned a nursing degree. She decided to become a nurse after her twin sons were born early and needed special care. After finishing her nursing degree, she worked at Children's Hospital.

Career in Activism

Starting as an Activist

India Walton began her journey in activism at just twelve years old. She protested against certain drug laws with her mother. This early experience showed her the importance of speaking up for what is right.

While working as a nurse, she also served as a representative for a healthcare workers' union called 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. This role allowed her to advocate for the rights of other workers.

Community Organizing Work

In 2016, Walton became more involved in local community efforts. She helped organize a protest about parking issues in the Fruit Belt neighborhood of Buffalo. This area is home to many Black residents.

Later, she left her nursing job to work as a community organizer for an organization called Open Buffalo. In this role, she focused on improving the justice system and policing. In 2017, she became the executive director of the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust. This organization helps people in the community own land together.

Leading Local Movements

Walton was also a leader in local Black Lives Matter protests. These protests called for fairness and justice for Black people. She also supported "Cariol's Law," which helps hold police officers accountable. An event where a Buffalo police officer pushed an elderly man inspired her to run for political office.

Mayoral Campaign in Buffalo

Running for Mayor

On December 13, 2020, India Walton announced she would run for mayor of Buffalo. The current mayor, Byron Brown, had been in office for four terms. He chose not to debate Walton during the primary campaign.

Walton received support from several groups. The Working Families Party and the Democratic Socialists of America endorsed her. The Buffalo Teachers Federation, a union representing 3,800 teachers, also supported her.

Primary Election Victory

On June 22, 2021, India Walton won the Democratic primary election. She defeated Mayor Brown and another candidate, Le'Candice Durham. Walton received 52% of the votes, while Brown received 45%. Her win was seen as a sign that new candidates could challenge long-serving officials.

After her primary win, she gained support from national political figures. These included Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also supported her. The Erie County Democratic Committee also endorsed her.

General Election and Aftermath

Walton is a democratic socialist. This means she believes in using democratic methods to achieve socialist goals, like more public services and economic fairness. She explained that being a democratic socialist does not mean taking away people's private property.

If she had won the general election, she would have been the first socialist mayor of a large city since 1960. She would also have been the first woman to serve as mayor of Buffalo.

After losing the primary, Mayor Brown decided to run as a write-in candidate in the general election. This meant his name was not on the ballot, but people could write it in. On November 3, 2021, Walton realized she would not win the election. Mayor Brown won the general election as a write-in candidate. Even though she lost, many believed Walton had started a strong progressive movement in Buffalo.

After the election, India Walton received a letter of support from former President Barack Obama. She said this letter made her feel like she was doing the right thing.

Working Families Party Role

After the mayoral election, the Working Families Party announced that India Walton would join them. She became a Senior Advisor for Special Projects. In this role, she works to build power for working-class families and help elect new progressive leaders.

Common Council Campaign

On February 1, 2023, India Walton announced she would run for a seat on the Buffalo Common Council. This is a local government body in Buffalo. The current Democratic council member, Ulysses Wingo, Sr., decided not to run again. Walton felt this was a good chance for new ideas.

During her campaign, some activists questioned if she met the residency rules to run. The board of elections said they could not disqualify her for residency. However, they could not certify her for the Working Families Party ballot line because her nomination papers did not state she was a commissioner of deeds.

Walton was endorsed by the Working Families Party. She competed in the Democratic primary in June 2023. Zeneta Everhart won the primary. Walton then appeared on the general election ballot as the nominee for the Working Families Party.

Political Ideas

During her mayoral campaign, India Walton shared many ideas for Buffalo. She supported creating a publicly-run bank. She also wanted neighborhood-owned grocery stores and a city-wide internet network. She aimed to help homeowners who were struggling with property taxes due to job loss or health issues.

Walton also supported increasing money for public schools. She wanted to pause the creation of new charter schools. She also said she would make Buffalo a sanctuary city, which means it would be welcoming to immigrants.

She also wanted to help small business owners and landlords. This included providing money for building repairs, like removing lead. She also aimed to make tenant protections stronger for renters in Buffalo.

In 2021, Walton suggested reducing the budget of the Buffalo Police Department. She proposed having unarmed first responders handle mental health calls or minor traffic violations instead of police. She also supports creating a civilian board to oversee the police.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: India Walton para niños