I’m excited about today because today is the beginning of a new phase of our growth and progress in this city. On this first day of Black History Month, I announce my candidacy for re-election as Mayor of Little Rock.
On December 4, 2018, Little Rock voters made history by entrusting me to serve as the 73rd Mayor of this beloved city. That day was special for me. As a true son of Little Rock, product of our public schools, pastor in the community, and a local business leader, I saw running for mayor of my hometown as an opportunity to give back to a city that has given so much to me.
And today, it’s time to grow forward as I cast my vision for Little Rock and ask the residents of Little Rock to choose me again as Mayor.
As your Mayor, I know that Little Rock needed bold action. However, there were things about this moment that I did not know. No one would’ve imagined the 73rd Mayor of Little Rock would have to navigate an ongoing global pandemic, or the racial reckoning after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and the death of Breonna Taylor.
Promises made, promises kept
But no matter the challenge, I knew that the status quo and business as usual would not suffice. I love Little Rock, and I made a promise to voters that I would do everything in my power to create jobs, strengthen our communities economically, grow our economic standing in the region, reform public safety, improve education, and expand affordable housing.
And I am proud to stay that I have kept my word and delivered on this promise.
More families and entrepreneurs are choosing Little Rock as home, to raise their children and nurture their ambitions. The city has grown to more than 202,000 residents, and we have announced more than 7,000 new jobs since I took office.
We overcame the catastrophic flood in 2019. We were resilient during record-breaking snowstorms. And we are continuing to unite around COVID-19 recovery efforts. Through it all, we still made progress. And there’s so much more progress we can make, together, by transforming our city with even greater jobs growth, economic development in EVERY part of the city and neighborhood safety.
This is growing forward!
Jobs and Economic Development
It is no secret that Little Rock is open for business. Trader Joe’s, one of residents’ favorite new grocers, Amazon, and Costco are just a few of the large companies that decided to call Little Rock “home” over the last three years. And companies like Aircraft Solutions, Alleviant Health Centers, and Revolution chose to expand their already thriving operations right here in Little Rock.
We expanded the River Market and created a new Entertainment District in SOMA, South Main Street and launched OpportUNITY Little Rock to grow diverse recruitment networks, and promote inclusion in our workforce.
Speaking of the workforce, this can’t be overstated – my administration has announced five times more jobs in just three years than the previous five years combined.
And right this very moment, we’re standing at the corner of history and progress.
The Dunbar Neighborhood Historic District where we are today is the oldest Black community in this city. Giants such as Scipio Jones, one of Little Rock’s most prominent Black attorneys who famously defended twelve men sentenced to death after the 1919 Elaine Massacre…renowned classical music composers Florence Price and William Grant Still, and the first Black student to graduate from Central High Ernest Green– all called this neighborhood home.
We’re across the street from the Dunbar Middle School, which in seven years will be 100 years old.
Hallowed ground…
But this community is also where signs of economic growth are taking root after decades of stagnation.
To my right, demolition for a new business has just begun. Behind us, condos are being erected and land has just been cleared for a mixed use residential and business space.
Just a few blocks away on Martin Luther King, Dr., the historic Murphey-Jeffries Building is undergoing extensive renovation.
So yes, quite literally at the corner of history and progress.
And this is purposeful work.
Through our economic incentives for areas south of 630-east of 30, we have waived more than $1 million in fees to jump start new development and rehabilitation.
And we’ve earmarked $1 million dollars for targeted community development this year.
This work we’re doing for our neighbors, is what we mean by growing forward.
But strengthening our local economy starts with local government. So, I committed to changing the way we do business at City Hall by adopting a comprehensive standard for assessing City contracts and being intentional about engaging women and minority owned businesses that have historically been shut out.
Neighborhood Safety
As crime spiked across the country and right here at home, we implemented a strategy to ensure all vacancies in the Little Rock Police Department are filled.
But not only that—we are addressing the root causes of crime– through education, job opportunities and mentoring our youth, to name a few. We’ve invested $3 million in community violence intervention and will use another $1 million dollars to put social workers in one of our more challenging community schools in order to reduce crime in the surrounding neighborhoods.
In addition, I promised to increase accountability and transparency in policing, and we did, by creating a Citizens Review Board and putting body cameras on our LRPD patrol officers.
We significantly reduced the number of no-knock warrants and revised our use of force policy to protect Little Rock residents—banning chokeholds and creating an officer duty to intervene.
Is our city as safe as it should be? Absolutely not. Are we throwing up our hands because this steep increase in crime is happening all across the country? Absolutely not.
But crime doesn’t happen in a bubble.
Jobs growth is fueled by economic development, and economic development helps create the atmosphere for safer neighborhoods.
So, we’ve got more work to do… growing forward to the day we are among the safest cities in the country.
Education
It can’t be overstated the importance of educating our children on how to resolve conflict. Because this is a priority, I’m committed to strengthening our partnership with the Little Rock School District to help middle school students at one of the most vulnerable times in their development— by providing enrichment and social and emotional learning so we can prevent academic and disciplinary challenges.
We’re growing forward in education.
As a proud graduate of Little Rock Public Schools, it feels good to know, our schools are back in local control. I promised to do all within my power to help return local control of this historic district. And we kept that promise for Little Rock students, teachers, and parents.
I appointed the City’s first Chief Education Officer and together with the LRSD, created our city’s first four community schools. Students at these schools, their parents and loved ones, and the surrounding neighborhoods all benefit from the wrap-around services that are provided at school. We’re helping students focus on what matters most at school– learning!
And because our Community Schools Model has been so successful, we’re expanding it!
COVID-19
Now, children, just like us, have had to navigate extremely difficult times over the last two years.
COVID-19 has changed our lives forever. From extreme learning loss for students, to the loss of friends and family, to lost livelihoods.
Little Rock, I want you to understand that each and every decision related to COVID-19 was made out of my love for the people.
Guided by science, our COVID-19 Task Force, and data, we were able to formulate a plan to slow the spread of COVID-19, and help our residents withstand this evolving threat.
We partnered with nonprofits and local grocery stores to provide free face masks and establish a financial resource hotline to support low-income, homeless, and near-homeless individuals and families that are impacted by the pandemic.
We even created a Small Business COVID Relief Grant Program and provided more than $500,000 in forgivable loans, and modified zoning codes to allow restaurants to continue to thrive safely.
To date, we’ve awarded more than $123,000 in vaccination incentives.
Again, we didn’t always do what was popular, but we did what was right. And as a result, we are growing forward.
Moving in the right direction
Indeed, we are.
Little Rock, we should be proud of all the work that has been accomplished in such a short time. Your mayor understood the assignment. Promises have been made and kept.
We can continue to make progress and solve the most challenging issues of our time. We can tackle homelessness in Little Rock.
We’ll continue promoting digital equity and expanding broadband in public parks– yes, we did that, too.
We’ll continue making smart investments in our infrastructure and street improvements like the Wright Avenue streetscape project, and we’ll continue making the right moves to bolster our economy.
More work to do
I am humbled to serve as your mayor. Serving you is more than just a job – this is a calling. As a kid from and a current resident of Southwest Little Rock, I believe that every person and every community is worth fighting for. And as a man of faith, I believe that when you meet a need, you touch a soul.
I will never settle and be satisfied as we still have hard work to do and loads to lift. We must remain steadfast, honest, and true to our mission.
Greatness is on the horizon. So, keep organizing. Keep volunteering. We can defeat COVID-19. We can build a Little Rock that is strong to support your ambitions. We can build a safer Little Rock where children can thrive.
Together, we can keep building a better Little Rock that works for everyone.
Well, I have more promises to make. And together, with your prayers and support, we can work to keep those too. And we can keep growing forward!
God bless.