By Xypher Pino

Marikay Abuzuaiter, a 1983 graduate of Greensboro College, has been elected as the new mayor of Greensboro. Named mayor pro tem in early January, Abuzuaiter won 60 percent of the 52,000 votes to become the official mayor of Greensboro during the November election.

“I am very honored to be selected by the voters of Greensboro,” says Abuzuaiter. “A lot of my success in garnering so many votes is building many relationships in the community over the years, with my experience at Greensboro College really helping me learn what it is like to create connections.”

Abuzuaiter started her undergraduate career at Maryville College in Tennessee. She transferred to Greensboro College in 1981, finishing her coursework in 1983. On top of balancing academics, Abuzuaiter had a full-time job at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro while taking care of her own child. During her time at GC, she remarked how welcomed she felt and how supportive everyone was of her situation.

“I was considered as an adult student when I was at GC,” Abuzuaiter stated. “This was during a time when being an adult student was not very popular, but everyone was so helpful. Everyone in the GC community wanted me to succeed, and I really thank those that constantly empowered and supported me. I certainly would go to GC again if given the opportunity.”

Before entering politics, Abuzuaiter owned a restaurant for 22 years, an experience which she attributes to being one of the sparks that inspired her to be more involved in the city of Greensboro.

“You get to know a lot of people as a restaurant owner, and you get to hear what they are concerned about the city as a result. Hearing their concerns, that inspired me to know more about my city and from there, I learned one of the big responsibilities of municipalities: to make sure that the public understands what the city does, how it goes about things and for the people to know that they can always rely on their government.”

Abuzuaiter emphasized the importance of education and staying informed in the line of work that she does, and encouraged others, particularly the younger generation, to be involved.

“One of the reasons I am so well-suited for mayor is because I love the learning aspect of the job; I learn new things every day related to my city as a matter of fact. There are so many organizations, boards and committees for anyone to be a part of, and interest is the first step in being involved.”

“The Greensboro Citizen’s Academy is a great way to start if you are willing to educate yourself and learn more about your city. Regardless of whatever problem you have, reach out to your City Council members as well. Everyone on the City Council would be super excited to teach you how we can help you and simply educate you on things. To whoever is reading this article, even reach out to me! Visit my website and ask anything – I will always reply.”

Since 2011, Abuzuaiter has served as an at-large Greensboro City councilmember, playing a pivotal role in the community through her dedicated involvement and numerous initiatives. In the last 14 years, Abuzuaiter is most proud of her contributions to the founding of the Family Justice Center (FJC) of Guilford County.

“Without a doubt, my contributions to the Family Justice Center is number one. That is one of my proudest accomplishments for sure, one of the very first successful collaborations between the county and Greensboro.”

In 2013, 55 percent of murders were domestic violence-related. The creation of the FJC provides victims of domestic and sexual violence with resources and assistance and has significantly lowered the prevalence of domestic violence in Greensboro as a result.

On top of her work with the FJC, Abuzuaiter also emphasized how proud she was regarding her work with the police.

“Public safety has always been my top priority,” Abuzuaiter said. “From starting the education program about railroad safety that lowered train fatalities to near zero since 2017 and to giving our police officers a 20 percent raise which increased the number of staff in our city, I have done many things to make sure that our people live in a place where they feel safe and taken care of.”

When asked what she looks forward to doing as mayor of Greensboro, Abuzuaiter noted that she is most excited about guiding the new City Council.

“The Council needs to be a big cheerleader for our city. The more together we are, the more successful Greensboro will be. I have been a part of many great City Council teams before, and I truly believe we can bring together a wonderful group once again.”

Greensboro College is proud of Abuzuaiter for her outstanding work and dedication to the community. Abuzuaiter is the perfect example of the type of individual that GC cultivates, and we cannot wait to see the impact she will have in our city. Please do not be afraid to reach out to Marikay Abuzuaiter for any concerns or opportunities by visiting her website at https://marikayformayor.com/.