07/23/2021
I recently had an interview with Detroit Metro Times regarding our campaign for Detroit City Council At Large!
Here are my responses!
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#1
I began political activism as an undergraduate at Marygrove College. I got my first job as a staffer working for Bertram Johnson for State Representative of District 5 in Highland Park Michigan. From that experience I developed a desire to go further in service and changed my major to political science and began working as a staffer and volunteer on other local campaign efforts to learn more about the political process. I worked as a campaign organizer for Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp's first election and also Amos Williams for Attorney General. I realized in that short time that I wanted to be apart of the process full time and started a political consultancy entitled, " Jones American Political Consultant Firm ". As a consultant I worked on helping more great candidates become elected officials and began to develop a passion for activism myself. I ran for precinct delegate in Michigan's 14th Congressional District: Wayne County's Precinct #88. After serving consecutive terms locally I began political advocacy efforts on a national level working with other progressive activists all across this country bringing issues and resources to the grassroots. I also worked as an intern in Michigan's House of Representatives for State Representative Jewell Jones and also for The City of Highland Park's Department of Economic Development Louis Starks.
#2
I believe Mayor Mike Dugan has done a good job
at clearing the landscape literally and metaphorically. Mayor Duggan's tenure can be viewed as an analogy for Detroit's revitalization process; He was elected and came into office and worked to rid Detroit's geographical landscape of blight and dilapidated structures and effectively did so all while keeping Detroit's financial affairs in order. Now that we're back on solid ground it's time to allow the people to retake full ownership over Detroit's affairs. If elected I will work to build upon the cleared terrain and solid fiscal foundation provided by the current administration and bring the adequate vision to the city council's decision making process. A vision that outlines the necessary adjustment to bring us back into the class of elite American cIties that we once held. Now that all the abandoned homes and commercial buildings are torn down, we need to think about partnerships with Oakland and Macomb county to deliver efficient mass transit for the people, Now's the time to allow the democratic process that this country was founded upon to work for the people of the neighborhoods so that we can develop plans to rebuild Detroit's economic landscape and create jobs and development that favors the people, the working class.
#3
Once elected I plan to create the climate on the local level for federal legislation that will allow Detroit to be classified as an International Economic Empowerment Zone. We have an opportunity with the newly cleared terrain to build out Detroit to support manufacturing operations that are currently thriving in other nations. These jobs may not pay as much as Chrysler, Ford, or General Motors but they'll be more accessible for the common Detroit blue collar worker. If we enable a business climate that offers incentives and graces to corporations; in turn they'll be able to pass down those saving to the people in the form job creation and development of infrastructure. With a prudent tax base derived from Detroit workers , we will be able to embark upon efforts to build subways in Detroit, to fund our schools and police autonomously without loans or grants from higher governing entities. If elected I will fight for Detroit's evolution.
For more 411 👇
Hey, check out my website, "Jermain for Detroit!" with this link:
