Florida A&M graduate Mario Henderson, 22, recently became a candidate for the Daytona Beach City Commission.
He made the decision after being robbed at gunpoint walking the streets of his neighborhood, which revealed to him the difficult, urgent issues within his city that needed to be addressed.
“I later found out that the young man who robbed me was around 15 or 16 years old…that bothered me that someone younger than me had to resort to violence and robbing somebody to get what they wanted,” Henderson said.
Henderson’s platform is based on three main points: provide more opportunities for young people in the community, expand Daytona’s economy beyond tourism and place a greater emphasis on public safety.