New Path Statement Launching the Hart Campaign
Young people in Memphis are finding their voice. We recognize that we are the future leaders of Memphis. We will be responsible for facilitating the continuing positive development of the city. We must lead the charge in decreasing the apathy and increasing the engagement of the citizens. It is time for us to move the city forward.
New Path is committed to encouraging the young people of Memphis to become more politically astute and active. We understand the importance of political leadership; recognizing its significant impact on our social, civic, and economic environment. At a time when the political climate of Memphis is combative, and, at times, seems stagnant, we must assume a leadership role on behalf of our community and its welfare.
We stand on the shoulders of long-serving community leaders, who, for years, have given of their time, talents, and substance. We deeply appreciate their service, and look to them for support and encouragement. As they once took up the mantle of leading our community, so must we.
For many years, Memphis has suffered from brain drain, losing many of the best and the brightest. Many of our friends and family have left the city and vowed never to come back because they believe Memphis is behind other cities that are comparable in size. We need to bring these Memphians back, attract new people, and develop the young people we have here. The thing that brings people back is opportunity. Financial opportunity…Social opportunity…Educational opportunity…Political opportunity. Politics rests at the foundation of opportunity development.
New Path will support the political development of our next generation of leaders. Our non-partisan organization will work to support leaders who are competent, maintain integrity, share information, and are dedicated to serving their constituents. We believe that leaders should keep foremost in their minds the needs of their constituents, and their role as servants to the people. There is a need for change in the current political environment to place a firm focus on responsible, accessible, and accountable leadership, and raise the level and amount of political discourse. In order to meet this need, there must be a more engaged and informed citizenry.
With this in mind, New Path will work to make information more readily available for informed voting and policy decisions. We hope to draw upon our diverse group to help develop consensus policy statements to attract broad-based support for community improvement. We plan to develop accountability measurements for our representatives.
Everyone in Memphis deserves a chance to be a part of the solution, those with connections and those without. We must build a more inviting political landscape to encourage servant leaders to run for office, and when they get there take a stand for what is best, not just what is expedient. We must encourage new ideas and new methods for meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow. The decisions will not be easy, the road will be filled with obstacles, and politics will always be politics. But, we can make a difference; we can lead this city forward. We can and we must.
That is why, out of the starting gate, we are pleased to be able to support such a strong candidate for the Memphis City School Board representing District 7. Tomeka Hart is an outstanding woman. She is one of the young Memphians who, after living other places, has come home to contribute her significant talents to our community. She is an example of the positive impact that a good education can have on a person. She is an example of the best that our Memphis City public schools can create. She knows the classroom, she knows business, and she knows the law. She is our next School Board representative for District 7. She is Tomeka Hart with a heart for education and the success of all students!
