A New Voice in West Charlotte Politics
Joi Mayo, a Democrat, has entered the 2025 race for Charlotte City Council in District 3, a seat that covers neighborhoods along West Boulevard, Nations Ford, Arrowood, and Steele Creek. She is challenging incumbent Tiawana Brown, who is seeking reelection while facing a federal indictment, as well as Warren F. Turner, a former council member. Whoever emerges from the Democratic primary on September 9 will face the Republican nominee, James H. Bowers, in the November general election.
From Teach For America to Community Organizer
Mayo’s path to politics began in the classroom. A Teach For America recruit, she moved to Charlotte in 2012 and spent a decade teaching middle school math and social studies in CMS. She purchased her first home in West Charlotte through the HUD Good Neighbor Next Door program—a decision she says shaped her commitment to building lasting community ties.
After leaving CMS in 2022, she joined TreesCharlotte as its community engagement manager, linking neighborhood groups with citywide environmental efforts.
Civic and Neighborhood Leadership
Mayo has spent the past decade embedded in Charlotte’s civic networks:
- President of the Kings Creek HOA (2015–2024).
- President of the Southwest Area Neighborhood Coalition (SWAN) since 2019.
- Founder of Transforming Nations Ford, a nonprofit tackling beautification, preservation, and economic revitalization.
- Board member of Steele Creek Community Place.
- Public-Relations Chair of the CharMeck Community Relations Committee.
Her civic résumé has been recognized with multiple awards, including Community Organizer of the Year (Queen City Nerve, 2024), Young Professional of the Year (Urban League of Central Carolinas, 2022), and WFAE’s Emerging Leader in Social Justice recognition (2025).
Platform Priorities
Mayo’s campaign is built on four planks:
Safe & Inclusive Communities
She supports expanding the city’s SAFE Charlotte strategy and the Alternatives to Violence program. The idea is pairing policing with social services, housing support, and youth engagement.
Affordable Housing
Mayo calls for strengthening the Housing Trust Fund, supporting the West Side Community Land Trust, and reserving land for affordable units along transit corridors.
Smart Growth and Infrastructure
She argues West Charlotte has been neglected in city planning. Her proposals include walkable access to jobs, groceries, and healthcare within ten minutes of every neighborhood, as well as greater investment in parks and greenways.
Workforce Development
Her plan emphasizes training pipelines through partnerships with Goodwill and the Urban League, as well as scholarship programs for teaching and technical careers.
A Campaign About Voice, Not Headlines
Mayo has framed her candidacy as less about reacting to an incumbent’s legal troubles and more about long-term neglect. She argues residents of District 3 have been “overlooked” in city decisions and deserve to be heard. Her campaign slogan is “Rooted in experience and ready to let residents lead
About the Author
Jack Beckett drinks too much coffee and insists that City Council meetings should come with a French press at every table. He covers Charlotte’s politics with a mix of precision and raised eyebrows.
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© 2025 Strolling Ballantyne / The Charlotte Mercury
This article, “Joi Mayo – 2025 Democratic Candidate for Charlotte City Council District 3,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Joi Mayo – 2025 Democratic Candidate for Charlotte City Council District 3”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)