Three new faces have taken seats on the Charlotte City Council: District 3’s Joi Mayo, District 5’s J.D. Mazuera Arias and District 6’s Kimberly Owens.
All three members campaigned on keeping communities safe, affordable housing and transportation improvements.
With a fast-growing city at 157 people moving to the region daily, in just those three areas, these councilmembers have their work cut out for them.
These members enter their roles on a council marred by many issues in 2025, including a $305,000 settlement to recently departed CMPD Police Chief Johnny Jennings sparked by threatening text messages received by a former councilmember, the federal indictment of former member Tiawana Brown for wire fraud related to COVID pandemic relief funds and the killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on the Blue Line light rail making international headlines.
We discuss how the new members are tackling their new roles, now over one month in their two-year terms. We also talk about leadership dynamics for the new council, what it means to represent districts with very different needs and how these first-term members plan to balance growth, development and a people-first approach to governing Charlotte.
GUESTS:
Joi Mayo, Councilmember, District 3, City of Charlotte
J.D. Mazuera Arias, Councilmember, District 5, City of Charlotte
Kimberly Owens, Councilmember, District 6, City of Charlotte
Disclaimer: WFAE staff member Julian Berger is Mazuera Arias’ partner. He is not involved in coverage of the Charlotte City Council.
