I’m Nichel Dunlap-Thompson, a proud Charlotte native raised on the West Side, and I’m running for Mecklenburg County Commissioner At-Large. My values were shaped early—by humble beginnings, hard work, and by my grandmother, Estelle Dove, who taught me that leadership requires structure, inclusion, and careful planning. Those lessons still guide me today. I’m a graduate of Myers Park High School and Queens University of Charlotte, where I earned a B.A. in Communications. I believe every resident deserves to be heard—and more importantly, respected through action that improves daily life across Mecklenburg County. For more than 15 years, I’ve worked alongside neighbors to strengthen our community.

I organized efforts like the Cherry Community Connection Cookout, and I’ve advocated for stronger safety measures in and around public transit. As a former CATS operator, I’ve seen firsthand how safety failures impact working families. The tragic loss of Ethan Rivera to on-the-job violence underscored what I already knew: we must do better to protect workers and the public. For the last 10 years, I’ve also served in the labor movement, fighting for dignity on the job, fair treatment, and safer workplaces. Through the Advancing Black Strategists Initiative (Jobs with Justice), I completed labor studies training through Morehouse College, strengthening my ability to build coalitions and deliver results.