India Walton: My five-point plan will build a healthier city for all India B. Walton Sep 25, 2021 Sep 25, 2021 Updated Mar 18, 2026 0 India B. Walton is a community organizer and nurse who is the Democratic Party nominee in the race for mayor of Buffalo. James P. McCoy/News file photo Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save India B. Walton I’ll never forget the Tuesday when a group of sisters came to me with head lice.kAmpE E96 E:>6[ x H2D D6CG:?8 2D 2 ?FCD6 :? E96 qF772=@ !F3=:4 $49@@=D DJDE6>] x 42==65 E96:C >@E96C 2?5 E@=5 96C E92E[ E9@F89 D96 925 E@ A:4< E96> FA 7C@> D49@@=[ :7 D96 82G6 E96> 2 8@@5 D92>A@@:?8[ x’5 4964< E96:C D42=AD E96 ?6IE 52J[ 2?5 4=62C E96> E@ C6EFC? E@ E96 4=2DDC@@>] $96 C6A=:65 E92E 24EF2==J[ E96J H@F=5 92G6 E@ DE2J @FE F?E:= E96 7@==@H:?8 |@?52J[ 3642FD6 96C A2J4964< H@F=5?’E 4@>6 F?E:= uC:52J]k^AmkAm%96D6 8:C=D H6C6 3C:89E DEF56?ED[ 2?5 E96J H6C6 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 E@ >:DD E9C66 52JD @7 D49@@= 3642FD6 E96:C >@E96C 4@F=5?’E 277@C5 2 Sd 3@EE=6 @7 D92>A@@]k^Am kAm%96 724E :D[ >2?J @7 E96 49:=5C6? H9@ 42>6 E@ D66 >6 H6C6?’E A9JD:42==J :==] %96J ;FDE 3@C6 E96 DJ>AE@>D @7 2 D@4:6EJ A=28F65 3J 4@?46?EC2E65 A@G6CEJ[ DECF4EFC2= C24:D> 2?5 6?56>:4 4@>>F?:EJ G:@=6?46] !F3=:4 962=E9 C6D62C496CD C676C E@ E96D6 2D “D@4:2= 56E6C>:?2?ED @7 962=E9]”k^Am People are also reading… Single-vehicle wreck kills 18-year-old in Franklin County Franklin County residents push back on proposed tax increases, zoning changes Former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot wife before taking own life, police say Franklin County School Board expels 4-day school week proposal Manhunt ends with fatal shooting of Henry County suspect Spanberger signs bills that tighten controls on guns Franklin County sheriff's deputies often make immigration arrests for ICE After fall: Justin Fairfax's 'profound retreat' from family Virginia Democrats spar with governor over money to pay looming bills Bonnie & Clyde musical coming to Smith Mountain Lake Franklin County wants to raise taxes. Here's where the money would go. Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Justin Fairfax: Virginia rising political star's story ends in tragedy Martinsville audit reveals control failures under former city manager Spanberger signs into law, amends major gun control proposals kAmx’G6 962C5 :E D2:5 E92E 2 A6CD@?’D 962=E9 @FE4@>6D 92G6 >@C6 E@ 5@ H:E9 E96:C +x! 4@56 E92? E96:C 86?6E:4 4@56] %92E’D H9J >J 2AAC@249 E@ 962=E9 42C6 C6=:6D @? >2<:?8 DFC6 @FC D@4:6EJ DE@AD >2<:?8 FD D:4< :? E96 7:CDE A=246] %92E :D E96 2:> @7 >J 7:G6\A@:?E “qF:=5:?8 w62=E9J r@>>F?:E:6D” A@=:4J 286?52]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mvC66? ;@3Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am kAmqF772=@ 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36 @?6 @7 E96 A@@C6DE p>6C:42? 4:E:6D @7 :ED D:K6] !@G6CEJ >62?D AC@46DD65 7@@5D[ =@H\BF2=:EJ 962=E9 42C6 D6CG:46D 2?5 =:G:?8 :? E96 G:4:?:EJ @7 >@=5[ =625 2?5 @E96C A@==FE2?ED E92E >2<6 FD D:4<]k^AmkAmp 962=E9J qF772=@ H:== C6BF:C6 E96 4C62E:@? @7 8@@5\A2J:?8 8C66? ;@3D 3J 7@DE6C:?8 H@C<6C\@H?65 =@42= 3FD:?6DD6D E92E <66A E96 >@?6J C:89E 96C6 :? qF772=@]k^Am kAmqJ :?G6DE:?8 :? 2 =@H\42C3@?[ 8@@5\;@3 64@?@>J H:E9 E9C:G:?8 H@C<6C\@H?65 3FD:?6DD6D[ H6 42? EC2?D7@C> qF772=@ 7C@> @?6 @7 E96 A@@C6DE 4:E:6D :? E96 4@F?ECJ E@ 2 >@56= @7 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9]k^Am kAm%9:D :? EFC? H:== C65F46 E96 }@] ` 724E@C =625:?8 E@ :==?6DD[ 3F:=5:?8 2 962=E9J qF772=@ 7@C 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mw@FD:?8k^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmp 56A6?523=6[ 4@>7@CE23=6 9@>6 :D 2 A:==2C @7 2 5:8?:7:65 =:76 2?5 2 962=E9J 3@5J] %9@D6 H9@ =:G6 @? E96 DEC66ED[ :? D96=E6CD @C F?56C E96 DEC6DD @7 3@F?4:?8 7C@> 4@F49 E@ 4@F49 2C6 2E >F49 8C62E6C C:D< 7@C G:@=6?46[ 5:D62D6 2?5 :==?6DD\AC@5F4:?8 DEC6DD]k^Am kAm|J 25>:?:DEC2E:@? H:== 36 2? 6?6C86E:4 A2CE?6C :? 4F=E:G2E:?8 2 4:EJH:56 7656C2E:@? @7 4@>>F?:EJ =2?5 ECFDED =:<6 E96 @?6 7@C H9:49 x H2D E96 7@F?5:?8 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C] (6 H:== 56G@E6 >F49 @7 E96 4:EJ’D D:8?:7:42?E 9@=5:?8D :? G242?E =2?5D E@ E9:D >@56= @7 ?6:893@C9@@5 D6=7\56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mt5F42E:@?k^DEC@?8mk^AmkAm~7E6?E:>6D[ D49@@=D 2C6 E96 @?=J C67F86 DEF56?ED 92G6 7C@> G:@=6?46 2?5 A@G6CEJ[ E96 @?=J A=246 E96J 2C6 C6=:23=J 765 2?5 E96 @?=J 6?G:C@?>6?E H96C6 E96J 92G6 25F=E >6?E@CD H:E9 E96 C6D@FC46D 2?5 H96C6H:E92= E@ AC@G:56 2EE6?E:@? 2?5 8F:52?46]k^AmkAm(6 >FDE 7F==J 7F?5 9:89\BF2=:EJ[ EC2F>2\:?7@C>65[ 4F=EFC2==J 2?5 =:?8F:DE:42==J C6DA@?D:G6 AF3=:4 65F42E:@?[ 3@E9 F?:G6CD2= AC6\z 2?5 z\`a]k^Am kAm|J 25>:?:DEC2E:@? H:== 6DE23=:D9 2 565:42E65 =:?6 @7 7F?5:?8 E@ qF772=@ !F3=:4 $49@@=D[ D6A2C2E6 7C@> E96 86?6C2= 7F?5[ E@ 6?23=6 E96> E@ 368:? E@ >2<6 ?646DD2CJ :?G6DE>6?ED]k^Am kAm(6 H:== 6DE23=:D9 A2CE?6CD9:AD 36EH66? q!$ 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ @C82?:K2E:@?D[ H9:49 H:== :?4=F56 A2:5 :?E6C?D9:AD 7@C DEF56?ED] p?5 H6 H:== :>AC@G6 4@>>F?:42E:@? 2?5 EC2?DA2C6?4J 36EH66? E96 4:EJ 2?5 E96 q@2C5 @7 t5F42E:@?]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mr=:>2E6 ;FDE:46k^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmpD =@?8 2D H6 3C62E96 5:CEJ 2:C[ 5C:?< 4@?E2>:?2E65 H2E6C 2?5 62E 7@@5 7C@> A@:D@?65 D@:=[ H6 H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 36 2 4:EJ A=28F65 3J :==?6DD] %96 2>@F?E @7 =625 7=@H:?8 E9C@F89 E96 3=@@5 @7 @FC 323:6D :D 2? FEE6C 5:D8C246 2?5 2 AC@7@F?5 DE2:? @? E96 4FCC6?E 25>:?:DEC2E:@?] }665=6DD E@ D2J[ E96 :>A24E @7 =625 A@:D@?:?8 92D 366? 5:DA2C2E6 3J C246[ 4=2DD 2?5 ?6:893@C9@@5[ H:E9 E96 >@DE >2C8:?2=:K65[ :>A@G6C:D965 2?5 9:DE@C:42==J @AAC6DD65 4@>>F?:E:6D DF776C:?8 E96 H@CDE]k^Am kAmu@C E96 962=E9 @7 @FC 49:=5C6?[ 72>:=:6D 2?5 4@>>F?:E:6D[ :E :D :>A6C2E:G6 E92E H6 :?G6DE :? =625 232E6>6?E[ 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@? 2?5 6?6C8J 4@?D6CG2E:@?[ 2?5 :>A=6>6?E 2 C@3FDE “#6\%C66” :?:E:2E:G6 :? >J ?2E:G6 t2DE qF772=@]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8m!@=:46 244@F?E23:=:EJk^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmu@C q=24< qF772=@?:2?D =:<6 >6[ 2 8:G6? :?E6C24E:@? H:E9 2 A@=:46 @77:46C :D 2D =:<6=J E@ 36 E6CC:7J:?8 2D 4@>7@CE:?8] %96 6IA6C:6?46 @7 A@H6C=6DD?6DD :? E96 7246 @7 2? 2C>65 286?E H9@ 42? 24E H:E9 :>AF?:EJ :D EC2F>2E:4]k^Am kAm%92E A6CG2D:G6 762C 4@>A@F?5D @FC 4@==64E:G6 2?86C 2E :?;FDE:46 E@ 4C62E6 E@I:4 DEC6DD]k^Am kAm%9:D :D E6CC:3=6 7@C E96 >6?E2= 962=E9 2?5 A9JD:42= H6==\36:?8 @7 q=24< qF772=@?:2?D :? A2CE:4F=2C] w62=E9J ?6:893@C9@@5D 7C66 7C@> 762C[ G:@=6?46 2?5 2?86C 2E :?;FDE:46 C6BF:C6 244@F?E23:=:EJ 7@C 325 24E@CD :? =2H 6?7@C46>6?E]k^AmkAmqJ 255C6DD:?8 E96D6 “D@4:2= 56E6C>:?2?ED @7 962=E9 42C6[” H6 42? 3F:=5 E96 D276[ 962=E9J qF772=@ H6 ?665 2?5 56D6CG6]k^Am 0 comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Analysis: The politics of endorsements The big contest for mayor of Buffalo is prompting strange days in our politics. 2021 Election: Role of police a clear dividing line in race for Buffalo mayor The contrasting philosophies of Mayor Byron Brown and challenger India Walton on policing mirror a nationwide dialogue about the American crim… Voter guide: 2021 election Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. Find out what you need to know before heading out to cast your votes. Click here for…
Analysis: The politics of endorsements The big contest for mayor of Buffalo is prompting strange days in our politics.
2021 Election: Role of police a clear dividing line in race for Buffalo mayor The contrasting philosophies of Mayor Byron Brown and challenger India Walton on policing mirror a nationwide dialogue about the American crim…
Voter guide: 2021 election Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. Find out what you need to know before heading out to cast your votes. Click here for…