Jackson Free Press

After winning a second term on June 8, Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba cemented his administration’s return to power in his Oct. 26 State of the City speech, during which time the mayor touched on various issues the city faces, including ongoing water infrastructure problems, a rise in violent crime, and what Lumumba calls a ‘dignity economy,’ a community-focused economic and social initiative.

“We've come through a lot together this past term,” Lumumba began. “We faced a 30-year flood, tornadoes, freezing temperatures that exposed existing vulnerabilities in our infrastructure, and a global pandemic that has fostered a historic rise in violent crime. We came through all of this together.”

Lumumba announced that he had brought in three new appointees to various positions in city leadership. The mayor appointed Louis Wright as Jackson’s chief administrative officer, Fidelis Malembeka in the newly-created position of Jackson’s chief financial officer and Catoria Martin as city attorney.

Lumumba spoke of his vision for Jackson’s dignity economy, which he described as “one where happiness and quality of life isn't reserved for the few; where residents live in affordable housing and feel safe in their communities; where families have access to quality physical and mental-health care and healthy foods; where living wage jobs are abundant and quality education is a given; where clean water and clean air are not taken for granted.”

“These are fundamental human rights,” he said. “But in a city like Jackson, providing these quality-of-life issues requires a radical departure from business-as-usual, a challenge that this administration fully intends to meet. These are central tenets of our vision.”

Lumumba blamed the pandemic’s effect on rising crime in Jackson as holding back his vision of Jackson’s dignity economy.

“Sadly, a rise in violent crime in Jackson and across the nation have eclipsed many of the good things we are doing to uplift our city,” Lumumba said.

Lumumba listed increases in officer pay and quality of equipment as steps toward reducing crime in the city, as well as cooperation with groups like Strong Arms of JXN and the People’s Advocacy Institute.

“We still have a way to go to achieve our collective vision, but I am certain we are on the right track,” Lumumba said. “Many of Jackson's problems are historic and will take time to set pathways to sustainable progress, but we are on our way and the best is yet to come.

Email Reporting Fellow Julian Mills at [email protected].