A scene in Newark, prior to the election of Cory Booker, is depicted with crime (particularly a high murder rate stemming from a rampant gang population), unemployment, poverty, and blight but more importantly, it was a city without hope. “Brick City” documents the everyday struggles of the mayor in his efforts to combat one of the nation’s highest homicide rates in the country, solicit stakeholders and investors in a downward turning economy, address affordable housing needs and inspire the youth. The mayor, with the help of the Director of the Newark Police Department, Garry McCarthy along with the many other dedicated support staff successfully reduced the 2008 annual murder rate by 32%.
Mayor Booker takes a hands-on approach to address the various issues within the city. A fundamental component of Mayor Booker’s character and one that will be essential for the new mayor of Memphis is honesty. Throughout the documentary, it was clearly evident that Mayor Booker understood that although he was giving his blood, sweat and tears, it was still not good enough for everyone and he would always be susceptible to criticism. “I will not let finite disappointment undermine infinite hope,” said Mayor Booker. Likewise, the future mayor of Memphis will be scrutinized but he should and needs to remain positive in order to keep moving towards progress.
Another quality depicted in the documentary was Mayor Booker’s passion for interaction with people, specifically the elderly and the youth. His eloquent words often resonated well with the elderly and offered them a glimmer of hope. Similarly, Booker spent a majority of his time interacting with the youth in Newark. He organized programs that offered teens alternatives to the gang and violent lifestyles common in the community. During the summer, Mayor Booker participated in basketball tournaments that took place weekly at midnight in different Newark neighborhoods offering prizes to those individuals that were able to beat him. He would also personally help these young people gain employment while finding time to mentor them. It is quite clear that Booker feels providing these teens with hope and alternatives to the drugs, gangs and violence will be essential to turning Newark around, and this method is already seeing success.
In Memphis, the Summer Youth Employment Program provided area teens with summer employment opportunities, which taught these individuals real-life skills that will be used to secure gainful employment in the future. Although many of these positions were entry-level, they provided an opportunity many inner-city youth rarely are offered, a chance to shine. However, it became news worthy recently that many of the participants in the program have yet to be paid for their work, while some were even overpaid. How can we continue to shatter the hopes of these young, brave, strong individuals and not expect them to hold contempt for the system?
Memphis needs someone that offers hope for all of its residents. Not hope that is sold by a medicine man with a slithering tongue. Memphis has real issues that need to be addressed and they can no longer be ignored. Is there a need for another loop that will only continue to drive its residents, development and employment centers further to the east when our core of the city is hurting? Pushing development further east will only amplify the need and cost of infrastructure improvements while the city’s budget shortfalls continue to increase. Our school system needs more funding, wouldn’t a fraction of the millions of dollars being invested into this outer loop improve the school system?
Memphis needs someone like Cory Booker to make these difficult decisions (if that is what you call them). We need someone that will not line the pockets of special interests and turn Memphis into the prominent staple of the South it once was. We need someone that will eradicate crime, and blight. We need someone that will address the need for more economic investment that is not just limited to the downtown core and out east. Why not have an advocate for all of Memphis, South Memphis, Midtown, etc. We need a visionary that can inspire Memphians to want a better quality of life, and not one defined by false pretenses.
It is up to Memphians to examine the mayoral candidates to determine if they have the qualities to turn Memphis around. I urge you not to judge these candidates by the color of skin, or by what political party they are affiliated. Get involved! Ask the candidates the tough questions that will help provide the insight of what type of a mayor they will become. Will Memphis find its knight in shining armor and live happily ever after? That is for you to decide on October 15th.
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