When I think about economic development, I think about more than just the creation of jobs. I think about other issues we’re facing like the availability of housing, access to quality health care, good schools, parks, opportunities for higher education, and everything in between.

We have to be open to hearing and willing to have difficult conversations around topics that have continued to keep us “separate, but equal”. Equality happens when we are willing to hear the ugly truth of what citizens of Hamilton County are experiencing today. We need to be ready to listen with open hearts and come together to create solutions that build trust and openness for all of Hamilton County residents. We are faced with an opportunity to create a Hamilton County that invests in diversity with mixed income housing developments that are safe, inclusive and affordable.

Every 10 years, Hamilton County, like every county in the country, goes through redistricting. The next date this happens will be on April 7, 2022. Redistricting is meant to redistribute districts based on population growth to ensure that each district is fairly represented and equal. In the state of Tennessee, there are no checks and balances in place that protect its citizens from unfair redistricting to favor one group or party over another, otherwise known as gerrymandering.  

We need to take a moment to recognize that the process of selection of the chair of the county commission is not and has never been a practice that empowers a just, inclusive or equitable community.