Not long ago, I was having lunch with a colleague of mine, a fellow Committeeperson from south St. Louis. I told the person that the job of a Committeeman or woman is different in north St. Louis than in her ward.
In southside wards the job is pretty straight forward. It’s a Party position. You work to get out the vote come election time, attend a few meetings every now and then, and you get invited to all the political functions throughout the year. The job doesn’t pay anything so not much is expected from you between elections.
Long before I was elected 21st Ward Committeeman in August, I knew the job was very different in north St. Louis. I saw my grandmother do it for many years.
On the northside, the job of Committeepeople goes on long after Election Day. People call Committeepeople about all kinds of concerns having nothing to do with the Democratic Party: trash pickups, drug activity, vacant buildings, and, of course, JOBS. (In all fairness, my southside colleagues get the calls about jobs too. Especially nowadays.)
I knew exactly what I was signing up for and I’ve enjoyed being able to help when I can. Since being elected in August, I was able to get a drug house closed down and bring some peace and quiet to a block that desperately needed some. I organized a Halloween event that gave kids in my neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods a chance to really enjoy the night like so many other kids do. And I even got a little attention paid to O’Fallon Park — if only for a moment. And yes, I got some people some jobs.
What is frustrating for me is when I can’t help.
I get calls every week from people in my ward — especially seniors — looking for help. They need financial assistance for repairing their homes, or they need a dilapidated house torn down because of safety concerns, or they need a stop sign installed at the end of the block to slow down the cars that go speeding down their street.
As a Committeeman, I have very little power to help these people. These are the duties of the alderman. But because our current alderman doesn’t respond to them — or because the current alderman has been told time and time again about the problem and has done nothing — they call me. And it tears me up not to be able to help.
I’ve decided to run for alderman so that I can help the seniors, the homeowners, and the families of my ward. I’m running in order to put the power of that office back on the side of the people that need it most. I’m running because I believe I have the vision and energy to use the office of alderman to better the lives of the people of the 21st Ward and the City of St. Louis.
If you think we need new thinking on the St. Louis Board of Aldermen; if you think we need new voices in north St. Louis that are unafraid, smart and independent; if you think that we need new jobs and economic development in the 21st Ward — I’m asking for your support.
Make a donation today to help elect me to the Board of Aldermen.
Keep up with my campaign at www.21stWard.org.
