When I think about economic development, I think about more than just the creation of jobs. I think about other issues we’re facing like the availability of housing, access to quality health care, good schools, parks, opportunities for higher education, and everything in between.

Is it important for children to have the best education possible? Is it important for children to have a safe place to learn? Is it important for children to have opportunities that stretch their imagination and support their creative learning process? I don’t know anyone who would say no to these questions. We all want children to learn, grow and thrive. Children are our future and I want all children to have the very best opportunities to learn, explore and thrive.

​​The unknown beliefs we carry about other people shape our view of the world. Implicit bias highlights challenges faced in black and brown communities. We all have unconscious beliefs, but when people of color struggle to get a job, a raise or promotion, buy a home, go to school, drive a car or walk down the street because of the color of our skin, it's a problem we cannot continue to ignore.

Currently, Tennessee ranks 46th in the nation for student funding and support. On a local level, the sad truth is that not all schools in Hamilton County have achieved equitable standards, but it is possible. How do we achieve equity in schools? We have to first understand the needs of the children in their respective schools. Each child and their school has different needs and we have to understand these needs in a way that better supports the children within their community. 

The media paints a picture of who we are and what we do. Right or wrong, the media spreads messages of “what’s good and what’s bad”., what to trust and what to avoid. Historically, black people have been labeled as angry, lazy, poor, thieves, drug dealers or addicts, dangerous, or violent. I know there’s more to add to this list, but I think you get the point. In other words, media says black is bad. We see this in newspapers, movies and music. Tell a message long enough and people will believe it.  

Executing a plan for economic growth is not black and white. We have systemic issues that prevent marginalized groups from finding jobs that can keep them in their homes. We have zoning and redistricting policies that have shaped access to resources. We have schools that have been marginalized and communities that have been ostracized. 

We have to be open to hearing and willing to have difficult conversations around topics that have continued to keep us “separate, but equal”. Equality happens when we are willing to hear the ugly truth of what citizens of Hamilton County are experiencing today. We need to be ready to listen with open hearts and come together to create solutions that build trust and openness for all of Hamilton County residents. We are faced with an opportunity to create a Hamilton County that invests in diversity with mixed income housing developments that are safe, inclusive and affordable.

Every 10 years, Hamilton County, like every county in the country, goes through redistricting. The next date this happens will be on April 7, 2022. Redistricting is meant to redistribute districts based on population growth to ensure that each district is fairly represented and equal. In the state of Tennessee, there are no checks and balances in place that protect its citizens from unfair redistricting to favor one group or party over another, otherwise known as gerrymandering.  

Many of the problems faced among black and brown populations are systemic, crossing almost every aspect of life. For example, the disparities surrounding access to and the quality of health care received by black and brown people is not equal to the access and quality of health care received by white people; black and brown people experience homelessness at higher rates than whites, largely due to long-standing historical and structural racism, disparate access to credit and homeownership, and the consistent devaluation of homes in black neighborhoods makes it extremely difficult to build equity and accumulate wealth through homeownership…

We need to understand that redistricting is not partisan. We need to do what's right for all citizens of Hamilton County in spite of the financial cost. If that means, expanding the number of county commissioners and districts, then we expand the number of county commissioners and districts.

We need to take a moment to recognize that the process of selection of the chair of the county commission is not and has never been a practice that empowers a just, inclusive or equitable community. 

Affordable housing is an ongoing issue in Hamilton County. Additional resources and supports are needed to remedy the fact that families are struggling and businesses are struggling. We need better access to resources for families struggling to make ends meet. We need opportunities for growth that address the financial gaps families are experiencing because of COVID and lost wages.

A question was posed on social media as to why I think the current districting is unfair. Let me be clear. Redistricting isn’t about being fair or unfair although when we look at access, support and resources, it is clear that there are areas of the county that have greater access and support. Equitable and fair redistricting is about ensuring the access and distribution of resources among all districts of Hamilton County are fair.

Students in District 4 are concentrated in schools with fewer resources. Our schools have 90% or more students of color and spend $733 less per student per year than public schools with 90 percent or more white students. We can do better.

The 2020 census reports that 27.8% of renter occupied households in Hamilton County are spending 30% or more of their annual income on housing.  A lot of people are experiencing a vast change in their ability to provide for themselves and their families in this post covid world.

Hamilton County is experiencing another surge in hospitalizations. On Wednesday, September 1st 2021, the National Guard was called in to help with non-medical duties, so Erlanger employees can focus the influx of patients.