Karen Weaver facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karen Weaver
93rd Mayor of Flint
In office November 9, 2015 – November 11, 2019
Preceded by	Dayne Walling
Succeeded by	Sheldon Neeley
Personal details
Born	Karen Williams 1959 (age 65–66) Flint, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Wrex Weaver
Children	3
Education	Tougaloo College (BA) Long Island University (MA) Michigan State University (PsyD)

Karen Weaver (born Karen Williams in 1959) is an American psychologist and politician. She served as the mayor of Flint, Michigan, from 2015 to 2019. She made history as the first woman to be mayor of Flint. She was also the fifth African-American person to hold this important job.

Weaver is a member of the Democratic Party. Even though local elections in Flint are officially non-political, she is part of this party. She also helped with important groups like the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. She was on Governor Rick Snyder's committee that worked on the Flint Water Crisis.

During her time as mayor, Karen Weaver visited the White House twice. She met with U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. A big part of her job was helping Flint recover from the serious Flint water crisis. This was the most important issue she faced as mayor.

Her term as mayor ended on November 11, 2019. She was not re-elected, losing to Sheldon Neeley.

Early Life and Education

Karen Weaver was the youngest of three children. She was born in Flint, Michigan, and grew up on the city's north side. She finished high school at Flint Northern High School in 1977.

She went to college and earned several degrees. She has a bachelor's degree from Tougaloo College. She also earned a master's degree from Long Island University. Later, she received a doctorate in clinical psychology from Michigan State University.

Career Before Becoming Mayor

Before she became mayor of Flint in 2015, Karen Weaver was active in her community. She served on several important committees in the city. These included the Hurley Medical Center Board of Managers. She also worked with groups like Priority Children and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

Becoming Mayor of Flint

On November 3, 2015, Karen Weaver ran for mayor of Flint. She won the election with 7,825 votes, which was 55% of the total. She defeated the previous mayor, Dayne Walling. Karen Weaver officially started her job as mayor on November 9, 2015.

Responding to the Water Crisis

Soon after becoming mayor, Karen Weaver declared a state of emergency in Flint. This was because of the serious Flint water crisis. She also asked state and federal leaders to declare an emergency. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder did so on January 5, 2016. President Barack Obama followed on January 16, 2016.

Weaver explained that this federal declaration meant the U.S. government would help with disaster relief. This was a big change from the state of Michigan handling it alone. On January 19, 2016, Mayor Weaver visited the White House and met President Obama. She also spoke to a U.S. House committee about the water crisis on February 10, 2016.

Changes in City Leadership

On February 12, 2016, Mayor Weaver made some changes to city leadership. She replaced Flint Police Chief James Tolbert and Fire Chief David Cox. She also replaced City Administrator Natasha Henderson. Weaver said she wanted to make some changes in the city. The city council approved her new choices for these roles.

Later, in May 2016, Natasha Henderson filed a lawsuit. She claimed she was fired after reporting concerns about how water crisis donations were being handled. The city hired a lawyer to look into this claim. Mayor Weaver stated that Henderson's claims were "outrageously false." The lawsuit was later dismissed in August 2017.

Other Important Roles

On March 24, 2016, Governor Snyder appointed Mayor Weaver to a special committee. This was an eight-year term on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's executive committee. She was also part of Governor Snyder's Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee. This group worked to solve the problems caused by the water crisis.

Mayor Weaver supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 United States presidential election. She spoke briefly about the water crisis at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

On March 15, 2017, Mayor Weaver met President Donald Trump. They talked about getting money for Flint's roads, pipes, and public safety. She also met with White House officials later that year to discuss Flint's water system.

Recall Election and Re-election Bids

Mayor Weaver faced a special election to remove her from office on November 7, 2017. This is called a recall election. She won, with 53% of voters choosing for her to stay as mayor.

In November 2019, Weaver ran for re-election but lost. Sheldon Neeley, who was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, won the election. Weaver ran against Mayor Neeley again in November 2022. She came in second place in the primary election in August 2022. However, Mayor Neeley was re-elected for another term.