Standing behind a sign containing images representing the 151 homicide victims in Birmingham in 2024, Juandalynn Givan said the city deserves better.

“It is time for change,” Givan said. “It is time for rejuvenation. It is time for revitalization but most of all it is time to stop the mass killings and shootings that are overtaking our streets and permeating through not just one neighborhood. It is permeating through every neighborhood in the city of Birmingham,” she continued.

The Alabama state representative became the first person to publicly announce their candidacy for mayor in this summer’s municipal election, holding a press conference at Birmingham City Hall on Wednesday morning. This was accompanied by a short video posted to her campaign’s official Facebook page.

“The city of Birmingham deserves a voice. The city of Birmingham deserves vision. The city of Birmingham deserves a leader who is unafraid and unapologetic in standing for the right and the good of the people of the city of Birmingham,” said Givan.

Givan has served District 60 in the Alabama House of Representatives, an area that includes a significant portion of Birmingham’s west side, since 2010. She has also held civil service positions with Jefferson County and the city of Birmingham, serving as an aide to several former occupants of the mayor’s office, including Richard Arrington Jr. and William Bell.

The 30-minute speech provided more details about several proposed initiatives outlined in the campaign’s formal announcement.

Givan highlighted the names associated with each of the initiatives.

“Everything I do is going to have a brand, and the reason the branding is necessary is because I’m not going to hold press conferences to say ‘I’m doing something,’ nothing gets done, and there’s nothing to relate back to,” Givan said.

These proposals include:

• Taking it to the Streets: A comprehensive initiative to improve Birmingham’s infrastructure by resurfacing and repairing roadways, with immediate attention given to potholes across the city.
• Operation 122: A plan to clean up Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods and 23 communities within the first 122 days of her administration. This initiative would include increased garbage pickup and beautification projects in every part of the city.
• Friends in Transition: A program to address the city’s growing homelessness crisis by eliminating homeless tent communities and providing sustainable housing solutions for those affected.
• Transportation and Micro-Transit Expansion: A focus on improving public transit options and creating more accessible routes to support Birmingham’s population and workforce.
• Back to Business: A drive to revitalize Birmingham’s downtown core by attracting retail businesses, boosting local commerce, and rejuvenating the city’s business landscape.
• Youth and Crime Prevention: A commitment to enhancing community centers, recreational spaces and arts programs for youth, while working closely with local businesses to provide trade skills and job opportunities.
• Police Recruitment and Community Safety: A promise to bolster police recruitment efforts and improve mental health resources for law enforcement officers while also working to revitalize neighborhood watch programs and expand Explorer Programs similar to existing programs in Hoover to engage young people in law enforcement.

When highlighting her proposal to tackle public safety, she applauded the work of the Birmingham Police Department but highlighted the need for changes in how it should be managed.

“The Birmingham Police Department should have a police chief who understands the dynamics of supervising a fully-owned department,” said Givan.

“(We need) a police chief that picks his or her own top brass, a police chief who develops a plan of action that they present to the citizens of Birmingham, and a police chief that we give an opportunity to do his or her job,” she continued.

The election is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Current Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has not formally announced whether he plans to seek re-election, though he has not ruled it out when asked about the possibility.

According to campaign finance reports obtained by The Birmingham Times, Woodfin in September reported having raised $333,352.25 in the first five days campaigning was allowed for the 2025 municipal election cycle.