Why I'm Running: S.O.U.L. for Memphis
Memphis is a city with soul.
Here is how I see Memphis’s “SOUL” – Safety, Opportunity, Unity, & Leadership.
SAFETY
We must feel safe in our neighborhoods, homes, and public spaces. Safety is essential to moving Memphis forward. I support the police as they strive to serve and protect the people of Memphis, and I will also support crime prevention efforts in our communities. I will search for both short-term solutions to make us feel safer today and a broader vision for addressing underlying challenges to keep us safe tomorrow. A safer tomorrow for Memphis depends on the opportunities we can create for Memphians today.
OPPORTUNITY
To move forward, we must ensure that all residents – from our business owners to our youth – have the opportunity to succeed. I know that people must be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities before them. Educational programs that build key skills are critical both for youth and for under-employed adults. I will support growth opportunities for businesses because that growth creates opportunities for our community. I believe that opportunity without access is no opportunity at all. Barriers, particularly transportation, prevent too many Memphians from accessing existing opportunities, and I will work to remove barriers to opportunity for all Memphians. Opportunity can have a multiplier effect – an opportunity for any Memphian can help lift all Memphians. After all, we are all in this together.
UNITY
We cannot move Memphis forward unless we all work together. A thriving city requires unity. I have seen that Memphians share a common vision for our future - of community safety and a strong economy and flourishing culture. I will not allow differences to distract us from this common vision. I will use the relationships I have built across the community to build bridges to solve the problems we all want solved. Building unity requires the courage to resist the status quo of division and to bring to life a common vision for a thriving Memphis. Unity starts from the top.
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LEADERSHIP
Moving Memphis forward requires leaders with vision, energy, and commitment who can build trust among the community. In my leadership roles, I prioritize listening, learning, and an open line of communication with all stakeholders. As a member of City Council, I will serve you. I know that durable solutions require cooperation and I will serve as a connector and consensus builder on a City Council that serves our entire community. I am eager to approach old problems with new ideas and to work through the challenges required of strong leadership. I am excited about this work and our city’s future because I am the type of leader who will do the work to find solutions to difficult problems.