COURTESY MALCOLM GRAHAM

Malcolm Graham, who represents District 2 on Charlotte City Council, has announced his intention to seek re-election in 2022.

Malcolm Graham wants two more years to impact Charlotte City Council policy.

Graham, a Democrat who represents District 2, said he’s focused on navigating the challenges of growth and the impact of gentrification, which threatens to push older and low-income residents out of neighborhoods.

When I ran for City Council in 2019, that’s what I was looking to do,” Graham wrote last week in a statement announcing his bid. “I wanted to assure my constituents that I’d put the needs of District 2 at the forefront, day after day. During my campaign, I heard from you and what you were most concerned about – the delicate balance between the revitalization of our communities, and gentrification. Tackling the systemic issues that lead to violent crime, racial injustice, and police brutality. Ensuring that everyone in our district – and everyone in Charlotte – has an affordable, comfortable place to lay their head at night.”

Graham, a council member from 1999-2005 and state senator from 2005-14, returned to politics in 2019 when he was elected to the city panel for a fourth term. A 1985 graduate of Johnson C. Smith University, Graham assembled a task force of community and city leaders that drove Historic West End improvements that included a $70 million project for housing for JCSU, The Arts Factory, Mosaic Village, and a publicly funded art light program as well as $75 million extension for the Lynx Gold Line. 

Graham noted his work over the last couple of years, especially as chair of the Great Neighborhoods Committee for affordable housing. He also chaired the COVID-19 Housing Task Force Committee, which helped residents avoid eviction through mortgage and rent assistance.

“The Beatties Ford Road corridor was beginning its transformation,” Graham said, “and all the pieces were coming together. Then, COVID-19 hit, and the conversation changed. Our district was concerned about survival more than growth and potential.

“… Even as we continue to live with COVID-19 and its effects, I know these past 18 months have not been easy for many in my district. However, I am proud to say that we’re surviving and thriving.”

Continuing that energy in District 2, Graham said, is his goal on council.

“Here’s the thing about momentum, though. I order to have it, you’ve got to keep going – you have to bear through the toughest problems and bring them to completion,” he said. “And that’s what I intend to do. There’s much momentum, much left to do, and many promises to keep.”

The primary is March 8.

Hayes switches to District 5 campaign
Democrat Curtis Hayes Jr., a community activist who previously declared he’d run at large, will now campaign for the District 5 seat held by Matt Newton, who is running for a District Court position. Newton is a Democrat as well.

“An opportunity has arisen that will allow me to honorably serve the people and neighborhoods that were formative in my life and further allow me to have a more focused and immediate impact for the people of Charlotte,” Hayes said in a statement. … “Councilman Newton has served the people of District 5 with heartfelt grit and determination, and I pledge to continue that fierce dedication when elected.”

Hayes gained national attention last year when he talked about generational trauma for Black Americans during Charlotte protests in response to George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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