Shania Bennett is running for mayor of Philadelphia at 26. She says she’s ready to lead the next generation

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“They say I’m too young, because they can’t say I’m not capable,” Shania Bennett said during a kickoff event for her campaign for mayor of Philadelphia.

At 26, Bennett is not only one of the youngest mayoral candidates in city history, but she is also the first candidate to announce a bid to run against her former boss, incumbent Mayor Cherelle Parker, in the Democratic primary.

“Every time someone tells me I am too young, I will remind them that leadership is not measured by how many birthdays you had,” she said. “Every time someone tells me that I’m too young, I’ll ask them, am I too young to care? Am I too young to understand?”

At 18, Bennett became one of the youngest committee members in the city’s history in South Philadelphia’s 48th Ward and was elected ward treasurer. Until she resigned in May, she served as Parker’s director of Youth Engagement.

“Yes, I’m significantly younger than our current leadership, but the potholes are old, and the excuses are even older,” Bennett said to a crowd of supporters.

Many of Bennett’s supporters said they were frustrated with Philadelphia’s current leadership, arguing not enough is being done quickly enough to address issues such as education and infrastructure.

Anjalee Pai, 25, said she hopes Bennett will improve city roads.

“I want transparency on where funds are going, especially with the conditions of the roads,” she said. “It really affects day-to-day life.”

For many of her supporters, school closures across the city are a top priority. Starting in the 2027-28 academic year, 17 schools are set to close after the Philadelphia Board of Education approved a controversial facilities plan meant to consolidate resources.

Delina Charles, a student at Thomas Jefferson University, said Philadelphia faces an “interconnected crisis that affects every single household”.

“When we shut down schools, we shut down centers for science and discovery. We are telling our students that their growth is secondary. … We are shutting the doors on the very youth who are ready to lead us forward,” Charles said.

Bennett has not released a detailed policy platform. She said her campaign has faced questions about “what kind of Democrat” she is, wanting her to further identify as a Socialist or Progressive.

“I want to be very clear. I will be whatever works for Philadelphia,” she said. “Because I do not think it’s progressive or socialist for Philadelphians to have a government [that] prioritizes them.”

In the lead-up to the election, she said she hopes her candidacy will mobilize a base of voters who have historically been ignored or have not engaged with civics.

In addition to young voters, she plans to engage with low-income communities. Bennett describes poverty as “a form of voter suppression,” noting that people who work overnight or during polling hours may be unable to vote in person unless they vote by mail.

“There are little things like that where I care about how they engage in the [democratic] process and about making it as accessible as possible,” she told WHYY News.

She plans to host as many free events as possible to ensure there are no financial barriers.

“If you have nothing to give [financially], support from where you can. That’s how I look to engage, not by making it intimidating for people,” she said.

Sean Prusinowski, 21, praised Bennett’s work as director of the Office of Youth Engagement.

“She knows all the community leaders. I don’t think it’s about age. It’s about what you’re going to do. What’s your vision, and can you get it done? And Shania showed time and time again that she can get it done,” he said.

Bennett’s campaign faces an uphill battle ahead. No sitting mayor has lost reelection since Philadelphia adopted its Home Rule Charter, which guides its voting rules, in 1951.

Parker, 54, has spent over two decades in public elected office, and her campaign has raised more than $1.4 million, according to her most recent campaign finance report.

Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series on Youth Civic Engagement funded by the William Penn Foundation. WHYY News produces independent, fact-based news content for audiences in Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and South Jersey.