By Darryl Campbell, Candidate for Blacksburg Town Council
I didn’t grow up thinking I’d run for public office.
I grew up thinking I was supposed to help. That when someone needed something, I should show up. Whether it was a friend, a neighbor, or an entire community, I was raised to believe we all have a role to play in making things better.
That’s what it means to be the first American-born son of Jamaican immigrants. My parents came to this country in the 1980s with almost nothing. They worked, they struggled, and they sacrificed. By the time I was born in 1990, we were part of the working middle class, but I knew it didn’t come easy.
Faith was a big part of our lives. I was involved in church from a young age, serving as an altar server and carrying the incense. I was also the kid in Sunday School who asked more questions than the teacher probably wanted. But I wasn’t trying to be difficult. I just wanted to understand. That’s still who I am today—curious, reflective, always trying to learn.
The Golden Rule wasn’t just something we said at church. In my house, it was how you were expected to live. Treat people the way you’d want to be treated. That’s stuck with me through school, through work, and now through this run for office.
I moved to Blacksburg at 18 to attend Virginia Tech. I thought I was coming here to get a degree. But I found a whole lot more. I found a town that gave me purpose, a chosen family, and a sense of place I hadn’t had before.
Since then, I’ve worn a lot of hats. I’ve worked in restaurants, retail, and sales. I’ve worked two or three jobs to pay bills. I’ve helped organize on behalf of campus workers, emceed events, and stayed involved in community life in every way I could. Through all that, I’ve seen how much people are doing just to keep things together. Rent’s high. Groceries are expensive. Affordable housing is hard to find. I know because I’ve lived it. I’m still living it.
So why am I running for Town Council?
Because one night, I saw a video of a state representative in Texas. She said she never set out to run for anything, but she had always been the one standing up for others. Eventually someone asked her to lead. That stuck with me.
I started pacing around my apartment, talking out loud. I kept thinking about all the people in this town I care about and how I wanted to do more. Ten minutes later, I got a text from a group asking if I’d ever thought about running for office. I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe in being ready when you’re called.
Now, I want to give back to the place that shaped me. Not as a politician. As a neighbor. As someone who listens, who shows up, and who understands that government should work for everybody.
I want to make Blacksburg a place where the people who teach our kids, serve our food, and keep the lights on can afford to live. I want a town that spends taxpayer dollars wisely and doesn’t waste people’s time or money. I want our community to stay welcoming, safe, and kind. Not just on paper, but in practice.
Local government isn’t about headlines or slogans. It’s about clean water, good roads, safe neighborhoods & schools, and making sure this town works for all of us.
I came to Blacksburg as a student. I stayed because this place gave me purpose. And now I want to serve the town that raised me.
FB: @dcampbellcampaign
IG: @dcampbellcampaign
Email: [email protected]
Website: votedarryl.com