A community leader through her non-profit organization, Nicole Watts has worked with the diverse Northside neighborhood for over 15 years listening to their voices and helping them to make the changes the people want to see in their community.

Now, through some unusual circumstances, she wants to bring that experience to the Onondaga County Legislature.

Watts, 43, is the Working Families Party candidate for the Onondaga County Legislature’s 9th district. She’s running in a crowded three-way race for what’s been one of the few reliably Democratic seats on the GOP-dominated legislature in recent years.

She’s up against Democrat Kenyata Calloway and Republican Bonnke Sekarore. The district covers Syracuse’s North Side and a stretch along Burnet Avenue. The job pays $38,748.

“We are very much in need of having people that are representing the people,” said Watts. “It’s not about power; it’s about people, and one of the things that I have experienced with the Working Families folks is that this is their focus: how do you truly advocate for those who are often times not included in the conversation. So I’m grateful to have been endorsed by [the Working Families Party] and to be on that line in this election.”

Watts runs Hopeprint, a grassroots non-profit organization that assists community members with achieving their dreams and goals by providing administrative resources and advising. She has worked with refugees for over 15 years. She doesn’t live with family, though many n the community consider her family and even call her “auntie.”

“Nicole is not a career politician,” said Salina Fasulo, 31, director of operations and public relations at Hopeprint. “Hopeprint has always gone door-to-door to all 300 homes in the neighborhood that we serve. I know that Nicole will uphold that same mentality in office that she’s always maintained at our agency.”

Palmer Harvey, the sitting 9th district legislator, withdrew from the race April 7 after a judge found she committed fraud on her nominating petitions. Watts said at first she didn’t even think of running for the seat. Then some party leaders recruited her.

Maurice Brown, 33, the 15th district legislator, met Watts in 2019 through Uplift Syracuse and became familiar with her work at Hopeprint. He and others at the Working Families Party first approached Watts about running.

“Nicole jumped right off the paper,” Brown said. “Her work with Hopeprint is well known.”