Alabama State Rep. Juandalynn Givan in a speech outside Birmingham City Hall today and campaign ad posted on social media said she is running for mayor of Birmingham to stem the tide of deadly violence in the city.

Birmingham ended 2024 with 151 homicides, breaking its record set in 1933.

“2024 being one of the deadliest years on record for this great city, a city once known as the Magic City, it has been marred with death, destruction, doom and — some days — we felt like damnation,” the Democrat said in the social media ad.

Givan said 1933, much like 2024, “was marked by a climate of fear, segregation, and economic hardship. I refuse to let that be our Birmingham today. It’s time for change. It’s time for us to rise and reclaim our city.”

After the September mass shooting in Five Points South killed four people and injured 17 others, Givan publicly sparred with Mayor Randall Woodfin over his response to homicides in the city.

Givan called Birmingham “unsafe” and said the Birmingham Police Department was dangerously understaffed. She also said that in the event of another “catastrophic event,” Gov. Kay Ivey may need to send in the National Guard to maintain public safety in Birmingham.

Woodfin responded with a social media meme featuring mugshots of state legislators and thanking them for their support, with Givan’s mugshot in the center over the words, “Not you.”

Woodfin later apologized, though he did not mention Givan by name.

“In a human moment, I took my eyes off the 99 percent of our local and state and federal partners and Birmingham residents who have been nothing but supportive and put too much focus on the one percent who were not,” Woodfin said.

“When you then say the one percent, who is the one percent?” Givan replied. “It’s another jab, it’s another attack, and another attempt to target me.

While Woodfin has not definitively said he would seek a third term, he suggested in August 2023 it was likely he would do so.

Givan’s platform for mayor includes:

• An initiative aimed at resurfacing and repairing roadways, with immediate attention given to potholes.
• A plan to clean up Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods and 23 communities within the first 122 days of her administration.
• A program to eliminate homeless tent communities and provide sustainable housing solutions for those affected.
• A focus on improving public transit options and creating more accessible public transportation routes.
• An effort to attract retail businesses.
• Enhancing community centers, recreational spaces, and arts programs for youth, and provide trade skills and job opportunities.
• Efforts to bolster police recruitment efforts and improve mental health resources for law enforcement officers, as well as revitalizing neighborhood watch programs and expand police Explorer Programs.

“Our city is facing serious challenges, but we can’t afford to wait any longer to address them,” Givan stated. “We must do something now, because our lives depend on it. Birmingham deserves leadership that is bold, compassionate, and effective. I am ready to lead.”

Givan has represented District 60 in the Alabama House of Representatives since 2010.

“This city belongs to all of us, and together, we can build the Birmingham we’ve always dreamed of—a city where safety, opportunity, and progress are within everyone’s reach,” Givan said.