BLACK MAYORS IN SOUTHLAND CREATE CAUCUS

Black Mayors from 16 municipalities from the South Suburbs have formed the Southland Regional Mayoral Black Caucus of Cook County to address health disparities, economic development and jobs in their communities. Photo by Tia Carol Jones
Black Mayors from 16 municipalities from the South Suburbs have formed the Southland Regional Mayoral Black Caucus of Cook County to address health disparities, economic development and jobs in their communities. Photo by Tia Carol Jones

Black Mayors in Southland create Caucus

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Black Mayors from 16 municipalities in the South Suburbs have come together to form the Southland Regional Mayoral Black Caucus of Cook County.

Robbins, Markham, Phoenix, Burnham, Calumet Park, Country Club Hills, Dixmoor, Dolton, Ford Heights, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Lynwood, Matteson, Riverdale, Sauk Village and University Park are represented in the newly formed Caucus.

“We’re repurposing, trying to redevelop our presence in the Southland,” said Robbins Mayor Tyrone Ward.

Ward added “[we’re] becoming more involved in assisting in the variety of things going on during these particular times.” He said especially because of COVID-19, the Caucus had to get involved in the health of the people who live in these communities, for example, being more involved in educating residents about the “do’s and don’t’s of health” and the shortage of hospitals in the area.

Ward went on to say that the Caucus will allow the mayors “to be a force in the whole scheme of things in the total Southland.” He added the Caucus will focus on job training in technology and in other skills because it has come to the attention of members of the Caucus that the residents of their communities have been on the frontlines and are essential workers during this pandemic.

Ward said the 16 mayors represent approximately 175,000 residents and the Caucus will make sure they are heard by elected officials throughout the state when it comes to matters affecting the Southland. He added the mayors should “be the voice” for the people, pointing out that politics are local and “politics start at home.”

Phoenix Mayor Terry Wells said places like Phoenix and Robbins have always had a history of having Black leadership and now the mayors are working together. He added Black Mayors from Ford Heights, Phoenix, Harvey and Robbins set the stage for Black mayors to be involved regionally.

Wells said that coming together has resulted in the support of events from other mayors. He said it sent a message to people, especially people running for state office. “Whether you were running for governor, U.S. Senate, whatever you were running for, you need to come through the body,” he said.

Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa said all of the Black Mayors in the Caucus watched people like Harold Washington and it helped to prepare them. “We have economic development that is coming our way and we understand what is coming our way,” he said. “We want the region to understand that we get it, of all that is coming to us, the economic development that is coming to our communities.”

Agpawa mentioned the Amazon Fulfillment Centers, which will be built in University Park, Matteson and Markham, and the Amazon distribution center in University Park, as well as the LogiPark in Country Club Hills. He said those opportunities were prevalent in the Northern suburbs and now they are coming to the Southland and the Caucus is ready to take advantage of more economic development in the region.

Country Club Hills Mayor James Ford said all of the economic development in the region also results in jobs in the Southland, for the residents in those communities.

“We understand that the people that live in our community deserve jobs, and they deserve jobs to be from their community,” he said. “A lot of our residents moved to the Southland in hope of a better life and with all of these Africa[n] American mayors working together in unison, we will continue to work and make this a better place for our residents. We want to create jobs,” he said.

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