Danielle Walker Resigns From House of Delegates To Lead ACLU-WV
Photo courtesy of WV Legislative Photography
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CHARLESTON - With a letter submitted to the West Virginia House of Delegates Monday, Delegate Danielle Walker -- the only black woman in the Legislature -- resigned from her seat representing the 81st District in Morgantown to become the next leader of the American Civil Liberties Union in the state.
“It is with a heavy heart that I pen these words, but I do so with a sense of purpose and conviction,” Walker wrote. “While this decision has not come easily, it is the result of much soul-searching and prayer, as I have sought to discern the path that God has set before me.”
The ACLU-WV announced at its April 1 Bill of Rights dinner in Charleston that Walker, who began her third two-year term in January, would become the organization’s new executive director.
“Danielle Walker is a visionary leader,” said Joseph Cohen, the previous executive director of the ACLU-WV, in a statement. “She is committed to the ACLU’s principles, and she will inspire the next generation of leaders in West Virginia. I could not imagine a more perfect person to take over the organization that I love so much.”
“Over the past four years, I’ve gotten to work with Danielle Walker in her role as a legislator,” said Eli Baumwell, the ACLU-WV’s interim executive director. “Not only does her voting record show her clear commitment to civil liberties, but she advocates passionately, and as a representative she shows up, not just in her district, but around the state. We are incredibly fortunate that she will bring that dedication and passion to the ACLU-WV.”
“I am keenly aware of the challenges that lie ahead for me as I move forward into a familiar, but new, territory as the executive director with the ACLU of West Virginia,” Walker wrote in Monday’s letter. “But I am convinced that this is the right decision -- the necessary decision -- if I am to fulfill the purpose for which I am put on this Earth -- to do the work in whatever way brings about a better world for us all.”
Walker -- a direct care worker, political activist and community organizer in Morgantown -- was elected in 2018, serving in one of the last remaining multi-member House districts. After 2020, the House was redistricted into 100 single-member districts. She was an active member of several House committees, including the House Health and Human Resources Committee and the House Education Committee.
“I submitted my paperwork to run for the House of Delegates. And in doing so, I challenged myself, and ultimately my party and my state to rethink what was possible,” Walker wrote. “In the years since, I have tirelessly served and continuously shown up for the most vulnerable voices in our state ... And while I have done all I can to move things forward, I recognize the limitations of our current political landscape and seek a new pathway for change.”
In the summer of 2022, Walker was selected by the West Virginia Democratic Executive Committee to serve a vice chairwoman of the state Democratic Party alongside new party Chairman Mike Pushkin, a member of the House representing Charleston’s East End and Westside. Walker has also stepped down from the party vice chair role.
“Delegate Walker has been an extraordinary example of a citizen legislator,” Pushkin said in a statement Monday. “She has been a powerful voice for the voiceless and a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable members of society. She will be missed by her colleagues in the House of Delegates and the West Virginia Democratic Party. But I know that Danielle will continue to work to make West Virginia a better, fairer, more just and more equitable place for all our citizens. We wish her the very best in her new endeavor.”
Walker came to West Virginia by way of Louisiana with her children, Demetry and Devin Walker. Demetry died in 2021 after a fight with leukemia at the age of 23. Walker was instrumental in the 2022 passage of House Bill 4631, establishing the Demetry Walker bone marrow and peripheral blood stem donation awareness program. She was also active in organizing blood drives at the State Capitol Building with the American Red Cross in Demetry’s honor.
“Thank you for the opportunities and the experiences that I have gained during my time here,” Walker wrote in closing. “I leave with the hope that we will all continue to work together towards a brighter and more just future for all West Virginians.”