Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mary-Pat Hector his “mentee.”
He may soon be calling the 19-year-old an official city councilwoman.
Hector, who already serves as National Youth Director for Sharpton’s National Action Network, recently earned the right to run for city council in Stonecrest, Georgia. Because Hector is under 21, her candidacy was under review.
According to CNN, The DeKalb County Board of Registrations and Elections ruled that Hector’s could run because the city’s charter did not specifically mention an age restriction.
Hector was just four years old when she told her mother that she wanted to be president when she grew up, the New York Times reports.
“So many times, people just think that young people can’t govern — and they can,” she told The Times. “If you are getting into politics for all the right reasons, you just have to pay attention to your constituents and not be afraid to be the voice for them.”
Hector participated in the Women’s March on Washington the day after Trump’s inauguration.
“I have never been afraid to take the road less traveled,” Hector said. “A lot of people are not going to agree. The biggest thing is just getting them to see more than just the age, and more about the vision. And the fact that young people can govern.”