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 in 1959) is an American psychologist and politician. She served as the mayor of Flint, Michigan, from 2015 to 2019. She was 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 she is a Democrat, local elections in Flint do not officially use party names. She also worked with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. She was part of Governor Rick Snyder's committee that helped with the Flint water problem.

During her time as mayor, Karen Weaver visited the White House twice. She met U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She helped lead Flint's efforts to recover from the Flint water crisis. This water problem was the biggest challenge during her time as mayor.

Her term as mayor ended on November 11, 2019. She lost her re-election bid to Sheldon Neeley the week before.

Early Life and Education

Karen Weaver was the youngest of three children. She was born in Flint and grew up on the north side of the city. 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 and Public Service

Before becoming mayor of Flint in 2015, Karen Weaver served on many city committees. These included the Hurley Medical Center Board of Managers. She also worked with Priority Children and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

On November 3, 2015, Karen Weaver ran for mayor. She won the election with 7,825 votes (55%). She defeated the current mayor, Dayne Walling, who received 6,061 votes (45%). Weaver officially became mayor on November 9, 2015.

Responding to the Water Crisis

Soon after becoming mayor, she declared an emergency in Flint. This was because of the serious water problem in the city. 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 national government would help with disaster relief. Before this, only the state of Michigan was responsible. On January 19, 2016, Mayor Weaver visited the White House. She met President Obama to discuss the crisis. On February 10, 2016, Weaver spoke to a group in the U.S. House of Representatives. She told them about the water crisis in Flint.

In February 2016, she made changes to her team. She replaced the Flint Police Chief, Fire Chief, and City Administrator. The city council approved her new choices for these roles.

Working with State and National Leaders

On March 24, 2016, Governor Snyder appointed Weaver to a special committee. This committee was for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Mayor Weaver also joined Governor Snyder's Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee. This group worked to fix 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 infrastructure and public safety. She also met with other officials at the White House later that year. They discussed Flint's water system further.

Re-election Efforts

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 the votes. This meant voters wanted her to stay in office.

In November 2019, Weaver ran for re-election but lost. Sheldon Neeley, 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.