‘Newark Is On The Rise,’ Mayor Declares At 2026 State Of The City Speech

NEWARK, NJ — Mayor Ras Baraka presented his 12th annual State of the City address on Tuesday night, championing a theme of “Newark is on the rise.”

The mayor’s 2026 speech took place at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

During his address to the crowd, Baraka spoke about public safety, education, senior services, local resources for families, homelessness, water infrastructure, economic and real estate development, finances, housing, transportation and the arts.

Watch video footage from Baraka’s address here, and view the 2026 State of the City report here.

Read Baraka’s full speech as prepared below:

Council President, Municipal Council, Elected Officials, Fellow Mayors, Directors, distinguished guests, and the great people of one of the greatest cities in this country – Newark, NJ. Welcome to the State of the City Address. I can’t help but to feel the tremendous and awesome burden standing here on this stage, delivering this message now at this moment in our history. More than any other time before. The words that we speak, the road that we choose to travel, the direction that we decide, and our collective focus is so critical. Even if we decide to move a few inches one way or the other it could have enormous consequences for the good or the bad. It is our duty, especially those in leadership, in this defining and often times dangerous moment to be clear, decisive, and courageous. This time demands that we keep moving forward – yes to provide stability, to ensure that government works, and to provide safety and security for all of our residents, both social and economic, but we can’t stop there.

In the face of mounting wars, ICE at our airports, attacks on voting rights, on people’s humanity and dignity based on their race or the language they speak, the uncertainty of our economy, and the increasing authoritarianism that censors information, puts neighbor against neighbor, and tramples over the very flag that you swore to in grammar school and the constitution we vowed to uphold when we were sworn in. And more importantly, the increased difficulty finding our way through the growing costs in health care, housing, energy, education, and putting food on our tables. Our money is not stretching as far as it used to. At this dire moment we can’t change course, retreat in fear, or be distracted by foolishness, half informed diatribes and even outright lies.

We have to have a radical imagination, reach for what yesterday seemed unreachable, and work daily to achieve the impossible. It is our duty to use what appears to be terrible times as an opportunity to bind together. No matter the community you come from, or your station in life, the privilege you may enjoy, or the restraints heaped upon you. We have to take this chance to be resolved in challenging our nation, our state, our city and ourselves to be united not just around what we are against, but what we are for. It is easy to join the chorus of negativity. It is much more difficult to build the city that we want to see. We don’t need trolls or people whose ambition is so small it only includes them. It takes commitment, strength, love, and time.

And so today, I would like to in the face of so much ugly – present to you the beauty of our City, today, and tomorrow. I would like to show you our labor of love. What we are giving birth to and by God’s grace the direction we are pushing towards. We know movements are created out of great feelings of love and enormous sacrifice. And we are standing on the shoulders of generations of families, workers, artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, that have shaped the identity of our City and fought to ensure its future. They did this often times with very little, and alongside those that attempted to define our City by its challenges. And as they did then – we are continuing forward, defining our City, ourselves out of resilience, determination, and our ability to rise out of seemingly insurmountable obstacles stronger every time.

Today, Newark stands as a city transformed. We have invested in its people, strengthened its neighborhoods, and created new opportunities across the wards. Curating a New Ark born out of the flames of the Newark rebellion, born out of the cries for equity and opportunity, a city we can hand over to generations after us to mold and shape as the innovators, creators, and leaders of this state. Today, we are embracing our City, our story, our Newark, moving forward, and stronger than we ever were.

These last few weeks have been enormous for us. Two of our high schools, Arts High Girls’ team and Malcolm X Shabazz Boys’ team won state championships in basketball and we are proud of their accomplishments and want to congratulate them both and their coaches with a proclamation from our City.

We were also named one of the Flag Cities for FIFA (the World Cup), which means Newark will become one of the official cities that will welcome the rest of the world to the largest sporting event on the globe. We will showcase our cities diverse communities, our incredible cultures, and amazing food, restaurants, and families. We are already preparing to host outdoor screenings, entertainment, cultural villages, and showcasing the Newark we know and are proud of. This will bring in potentially millions in revenue for our City, increased job opportunities for residents, and a chance to let the world see what we have known for years. Newark is moving forward and we are proud of it.

And lastly, we were all overjoyed and overcome with excitement and pride when one of our own, a graduate of Arts High School Michael B. Jordan won an Academy Award for Best Male Actor. He again showed the world what we already knew – that all we need is a chance and opportunity to show that we have learned to shine brightly through the smallest of cracks. And when we straighten our backs and lift our heads, they all, even the naysayers, can see how beautiful we are. Congratulations Michael B. Jordan! We are proud of you!

People always ask, “How is it possible that we can dance on TikTok while they are stealing our SNAP benefits? Why are we always laughing, smiling, enjoying life while they are tightening the braces, and doubling down on the barriers that prevent upward mobility for us? How can we still show up even in the presence of the most gross and disgusting forms of hatred and discrimination?” Because we have been here before. We know how this story ends.

We know that David only needed a sling shot. And those boys never got burned and didn’t even smell fire after they were thrown in the oven. We know Paul walked out of that jail, and even though we remember John Lewis being beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge – we will never forget Barack Obama’s Inauguration Day. Even though we remember the rebellion in our City in 1967, we will never forget the day Ken Gibson became Mayor. Even though I will always remember the day they cuffed me and took me to jail on that rainy day in May in front of Delaney Hall, I will never forget that God allowed me to travel all over this state in my run for Governor – and this little Black boy from the South Ward of Newark – had the audacity to come in second in a crowded field surrounded and outspent. They thought Newark would drag me down but this beautiful city lifted me up. So, Donald Trump, I want you to know that you can chase us through the streets of this City, you can try to undermine our constitutional rights, but we will never give up, we will never stop fighting, and we will never turn backwards. This is our City, our story, Newark will continue moving forward.

And though they have tried to dismantle Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs all over the country, in Newark, our Police Division is still working with the community. We ended last year with the lowest murder rate since 1953, including a 35% decrease in non-fatal shootings. Newark is a safer city. We finished the consent decree, stood up our own academy. Yes, we have setbacks, but it will never get in the way of our comeback. We are going to continue to use innovation and intelligence to guide our approach to public safety and we are going to do that with the community in mind, while modernizing our efforts to be a community-led public safety model that has set our City as a leader nationally and internationally in public safety. I would have never imagined 25 years ago that when people mention public safety, Newark would also have to be mentioned as well. Does this mean we don’t have any problems? Of course not. But what it means is that what we are doing is working. And we are working to stand up a new 4th Precinct in the Central Ward and a new 2nd Precinct in the North Ward. And this year our Fire Division included more training, leadership development, and installed 200 smoke alarms in residents’ homes.

We would also like to take this moment to highlight the bravery of Newark firefighters Christopher Winbush, and Justin Acabou for rescuing two children from a burning building. And following the tragic Port Fire, the Newark Firefighter Community partnered with the Community Foundation of New Jersey to establish a scholarship for the children of fallen firefighters. The first round of grants has already gone out and we would like to take this time to thank Firefighter Edil Irizarry and the Newark Fire Division for turning tragedy into triumph and creating the Acabou and Brooks Newark Fallen Heroes Foundation. We thank you for embracing our City and telling our stories. And as our City continues to grow, we are working to put a fire house on the port and another in the downtown area.

And in Newark, just like Baltimore, Chicago, Birmingham, Boston, and many others, we are investing in our youth. We have been and we are continuing forward to include more youth and more partnerships. We consistently hire close to 3,000 young people every summer – connecting them to real world jobs. For example, Davina George was a participant in our Summer Youth Employment Program and transitioned to full employment as a Police Officer at Port Authority. Karin Adams used the knowledge she gained from our sewing program, Sew with Kali, for her beauty business. The Newark Street Academy continues to transform lives serving over a thousand disengaged youth. We have already graduated 870 students and almost 150 GED recipients. And we have connected over 200 to workforce training. Our Guaranteed Education pilot is now a full-fledged program with partnerships with Saint Elizabeth University, and now 10 more at Rutgers University. This is a program that was designed to focus on young people who may not have had a pathway to college without this program. Their GPAs may have been too low, they were financially burdened, and violence affected their family in some way. Today I’m ecstatic to announce our first cohort of 18 students that are graduating from Saint Elizabeth University and Rutgers University: Kamal Armstrong, Taleyah Barnhill, Sayfullah Carter, Faith Cook, Awa Doumbia, Sahara Jamison Stephens, Aurelis Jimenez, Zaa’min Jones, Nacheca Joseph, Ivy Little- Webb, Christian Pastuisaca, Nicol Rodriguez, Al-Shatir Shells, Jaidyn Smith, Shynasia Sutton, Ashley Torres, Jameel Wright and Kimaya Clark.

We also have put at least 6 cohorts of students in NJIT through the Mayor’s Scholars Program. At least eight have already graduated and three will graduate this spring. Samantha Augustin, Samara Augustin, Kiaja Jone, Okyere Boateng, Dequan Marshall, Joshua Dadzie, Oluwaseyiu (Seyi) Ikujuni, Priestly Ogbonna, Oluwanifemi (Niffy) Fuwa, Yorquiria Maldonado, and Kaily Peixoto. I want to introduce you to them today. Why? Because our students are more than a blurb from a social media internet blog, or a twitter post from a right-wing conservative trying to justify the lack of investment in our young people, or even a misdirected rant from an ill- informed person standing up old stereotypes. These students are some of our best.

That’s not all. The graduation rate of Newark Public Schools stands at an impressive 90%, the highest recorded in decades. In addition, the chronic absenteeism rate has decreased to 10.4%, the lowest in decades and significantly below the state average for the third consecutive year. There have been hundreds of additional seats in pre-kindergarten and middle grades across the City, accommodating the increasing number of students in elementary and high schools. In partnership with the Newark Public Schools, we will be soon announcing a new pipeline for high school students to become future police officers and firefighters right here in Newark that will begin next school year. This work is underway now and we look forward to announcing more about it in the coming weeks.

In terms of Accountability and Academic Performance, Newark Public Schools has met its targets in all nine ESSA Accountability Categories. There have been notable improvements in English Language Arts and Mathematics across all tested grades.

Over the past five years under local control, Newark students have collectively earned $632 million in college scholarships. A total of 894 students have achieved Associate's Degrees while still in high school, saving families over $63.8 million through college courses taken during high school. Also, there are eight National Blue Ribbon Schools in Newark which highlights the exceptional quality of education being provided. There is much work to do, but collectively we can get it done.

And our recreations centers have recorded over 45,000 youth visits, providing safe, structured environments for learning, mentorships, and growth.

Also, through a collaborative partnership among six Newark-based organizations: Invest Newark, Newark Office of Film and TV, NewarkWORKS One Stop Career Center, Express Newark’s Community Media Center, Newark Film School, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center –participants have been connected to hands-on technical training, industry exposure, wraparound support services, and direct pathways to meaningful work experiences in film, television, and digital media production.

Newark Film Works will host training programs for Newark residents, enrolling cohorts of participants and equipping them with the technical skills, industry-recognized credentials, and professional networks needed to succeed on both union and non-union productions. In addition to hands-on training, the program will organize regular free events for participants and community members at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, creating opportunities for industry exposure, networking, and engagement with the broader film and digital media community.

With the opening of Lionsgate Newark Studio Complex anticipated in 2027, along with increased film and television production driven by the New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, Newark is poised to see significant growth in career opportunities within the entertainment and digital media industry.

These are our students. Our story now and the future. They represent what is possible when we invest in our young people out of love. Out of commitment. Out of continuing to move our City forward!

We want to thank Cerenthia McElroy for her labor of love last year helping to create 25 new Block Associations, hosting 61 Newark People’s Assembly meetings and 138 community meetings citywide. These efforts ensure that our residents become real partners in shaping Newark’s story. This is important because there are people in our City that we don’t know who with the little resources they have – made a commitment to narrow the gap between what their ideals are and what reality shows them every day. They come together with their neighbors with a common hope that together with the City government as partners, they can solve some of the most difficult problems. And many times, it ain’t easy, but they get through it because they love this City and they work daily to engage their neighbors, organize their block, their building, their community out of love. They call the police, engage DPW, they make sure they know what is happening in our city. These are the people that keep our City moving forward, that hold us accountable, that come up with creative ideas. They apply for Love Your Block grants and set up community gardens. They host community cleanups and take neighborhood kids on trips. We don’t know them not because they shouldn’t be known, but because they are not doing it to run for office, or add to their Instagram or Facebook posts, or to troll others. Ultimately, it’s a labor of love to get our City to where they know it has the potential to be...

It is no secret that the country has a real housing crisis. Our state is short tens of thousands of units. In Newark, the last report stated we were short 16,000 units of housing. And while DC is cutting access to vouchers and pulling money from affordable housing, we in New Jersey are trying to figure it out. Thank you to Governor Sherill for adding more money to the trust fund. Here in Newark, we are consistently adding more affordable units to the roll every year. This past year, we have supported 65 families in preserving their homeownership.
Completed 199 affordable units with 968 currently under construction. We have also begun moving forward on our new ADU law that allows residents to add on to their property a carriage house, or build on top of their garage, or add to their home. We have received $1,400,000 from PRO Housing – a grant that provides financial assistance of up to $40,000 per homeowner of a single-family dwelling to build or rehabilitate existing ADUs.

Even more, the Office of Property Management in 2025 has facilitated the closing of 71 city-owned properties and put land and wealth back in the hands of everyday people. Almost half of those were to Newark residents. And while across this state, we are figuring out how to close in on the wealth gap, here in Newark, we labor every day to put wealth in the hands of our neighbors because this is our City and our story. We have not just put resources in the people’s pockets, we created over $5 million in revenue for the city, transforming unused land and dilapidated property to new development and neighborhood revitalization. And it is almost impossible to drive anywhere in this city without seeing infill housing going up or new construction in every single ward. So, when people say nothing has changed – your block has changed. New homeowners have changed, vacant lots are being built on, and wealth is getting in the hands of people all around you. Our City is changing right before your very eyes.

And I didn’t even mention the Live Newark program – 42 façade improvements at $40,000, and 18 closing costs assistance at $20,000. Residents like Tamiki Burton and Ebony Cunningham were able to purchase homes through the Live Newark Closing Cost Program and turned renters into homeowners. Or homeowners like Tahira Justice, who was able to repair and restore their homes through the Façade Improvement Program. This is not just big buildings going up. This is stability, ownership, and generational wealth.

We can’t steer away from this. We have to do more of it, continue with our foot on the gas and continue moving Newark Forward. In fact, this year we want to close with 500 units of affordable housing and 2,500 – 3,000 units in the next four years. If you have a credible plan to help us in this effort, then we will expedite your projects and make them our priority. Any project that has greater than 30 percent of affordable housing, we will help you get it done. Partner with us. Even if you are purchasing a single family. We have already begun partnering with our residents to purchase two-three-family homes at minimal prices where we are paying up to 50 percent of construction costs if you keep the housing affordable for at least 15 years through a deed restriction. Help us meet our goals!

We have also through our Office of Tenant Legal Services, fought illegal evictions and kept people in their homes for almost a decade now. Last year, we assisted 188 residents including 90 nonpayment of rent cases. Protecting tenants, preventing displacement, and stopping illegal evictions. And while we are on this. You should have read by now, that I just recently signed an executive order that created a list of bad landlords. These are people that have a series of housing complaints that are consistent and sometimes life-threatening. These are bad actors that have not been able to uphold their end of the bargain to provide safe and comfortable affordable housing to our residents. They have preyed on our residents far too long and we have not been able to hold them accountable like we should. So today, we are publishing the first list and I will name them here today on this stage:

• Villa Victoria – 2–54 Cutler Street (Hudson Valley Property Group)
• Pilgrim Village – 291–319 18th Avenue (Hudson Valley Property Group)
• Colonnade Apartments – 23–59 Clifton Avenue (The Colonnade Group)
• 87–101 Chancellor Avenue (Boomer LLC / Boomer 25 Van Velsor LLC)
• 509–519 Mt. Prospect Avenue (FHTDD)

I am incredibly proud that while this country is in the process of advancing discrimination, incentivizing the exclusion of Black and Brown people, actively normalizing corporate and institutional racism, where it’s become commonplace to retreat on equity goals, that here in the City of Newark, we are still moving forward supporting our diversity and creating opportunity for Black and Brown people in our city. And even though they have created a culture now where there is no consequence for discrimination, for this New Jim Crow, removing from the Department of Justice, the Civil Rights Division, abandoning cases and creating new ones to defend the privilege of wealthy white men. And while the boycott of Target is being debated on social media, we are of the opinion that we need to build our own Target that appreciates and respects our purchasing power and our creativity. The state of New Jersey Disparity Study and the county’s study have shown that less than one percent of its business goes to Black and Brown residents. The good news is that they are currently working to address these disparities as we speak. But here in Newark, for the past few years, we have contracted over $200 million to Black and Brown businesses and contractors. And have supported some 58 Black and Brown Businesses that are now in downtown Newark. This is about creating an economy that is universal. This about creating a city that encourages growth and development while focusing on equity at the same time. In fact, it’s the immigrant businesses that keep our economy going. And the workers that power them. Its Black and Brown businesses that helps us stay afloat. And the people that patronize them. It is not just our duty to support them, it’s the smart thing to do.

But it’s not enough. $200 million only represents about 12% of our procurement spend. We can no longer compare ourselves to what others have done we have to do better ourselves. And because of that we have begun looking for a person that will focus solely on ensuring that we increase our spend to Black, Brown and women vendors to double what we are doing now by 2028. While the country is moving away from equity. It is time that we begin to lean in.

I also want to announce that we have begun the process of bringing life back to the FAM Fund (Forty Acres and a Mule) that was created during Covid and after George Floyd. This will be a public private venture that creates an investment fund that will target communities that have been historically undermined economically and purposefully neglected. These funds will be used to create capital for business development and growth, and support non-profits. We need all of our financial experts, and partner corporations, capital investment institutions, public sector leaders. We need your technical and financial support now. We don’t just need you to raise your hand at a meeting – verbally say you support Black and Brown people at public events or press interviews. We need history to judge you as an ally and a friend. All of you who promised funding after George Floyd that have since dismantled your promises in fear of the Trump backlash. We need you to straighten your backs. Let us know you really meant what you were saying and were not just swept up in an opportunistic moment. We need you to make your values and ideals clear. Let your children’s children know that when things got tough you stood on the right side of history. That you did your part to fund diversity, fund progress, fund opportunity, fund the future of the State of New Jersey by funding Newark’s mission to continue to move forward!

The State of New Jersey identified 50 food deserts across our state and many of our neighborhoods fall in that category. Lack of transportation, access to healthy, quality foods, and costs of products become prohibitive. So, we are spending a lot of our focus going forward on addressing Newark’s food insecurity. In fact, when the President and his Big Ugly Bill threatened SNAP benefits for many or our residents, we stepped forward with our community partners: United Way of Greater Newark, Newark Alliance, FOCUS, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Ironbound Community Corporation, United Community Corporation, Unified Vailsburg Services and Organization, Greater Newark Conservancy, Food Connect, La Casa Don Pedro, Urban League, Boys and Girls Club, Mend, BRICK, and Community Food Bank of NJ.

We activated five food hubs across the city to respond to economic disruptions to ensure residents did not go without food. We fed close to 11,000 families and gave out over 3,000 coats. We also approved over 800 applications for families to receive a total of over $360,000 dollars with each family getting an average of $420 each. Our residents felt the impact immediately. Nikita White used her $600 SNAP to catch up on her PSEG bill and still had funds left to support her family through the holidays. Dominic Spivey was able to pay her utilities and purchase more groceries. Ciara Robinson, a mother of two, shared that this support relieved the stress of choosing between paying bills and feeding her children.

But that’s not all. Through our long and solid partnership with Hello Fresh we gave out 880,000 meals last year alone. And because of the great work we have been doing with getting food to residents especially during the SNAP crisis. We are standing up, with the help of our partners, being led by Khateem Sheerer El of Clinton Hill Community Action and Peter Rosario of La Casa, five small but permanent free grocery stores in our City: 23 Broadway, 393 Hawthorne Avenue, 312 New Street, 501-503 Central Avenue, and a location forthcoming to the East Ward, that we will soon develop into mutual aid grocery stores that will allow people to purchase items based on their income.

We are also building Kawaida Towers on Halsey Street with the help of the Heritage Group, a majority African American woman-owned development company. This project is possible because of a grant of about $8 million given to us by the late Donald Payne Jr. This project is important because it includes our first affordable condos in the city. But more importantly, this property will also feature a grocery store that will sell items at low-cost below market prices because of the deep discount on retail that the city has invested in. This will be our first public/private grocery store in the city with more to come.

We have also partnered to create a cost-saving energy and energy relief initiative for residents through Solar for All. We have enrolled 1500 residents that will create a savings projection of $900,000 in the first year and 18 million in over a 20-year period. We need more of you Newarkers to sign up now. We are working hard to put money back in the pockets of our residents.

We are working hard to make sure no one is left stranded, which why we have adopted the housing first model in our city. A strategy rooted in compassion, action, and impact. Our strategy relies on our ability to create more housing choices not shelters. As we continue to move Newark forward you will see us limit the time people can stay in shelter. Some have been there for at least five years. We will begin to restrict those times replaced by transitional housing. We will bring on more housing navigators and implore developers to be creative with housing options. Until then, last year alone we connected 1,373 residents to emergency shelter, prevented 152 evictions, rehoused 150 families, gave rental assistance to 119 families, and housed 119 chronically homeless residents with long-term supports. We have also expanded outreach efforts engaging some 3,800 times, 1600 assistance calls responded to, 1200 residents supported by mobile medical teams, and 700 or more receiving services through our Gateway to Hope initiative.

Isiah Ford returned home from incarceration and was connected to employment through NewarkWORKS and placed into permanent housing. Brandee Taylor transitioned from homelessness into a new home in the South Ward. Ricky Garner, a veteran, secured housing through the Newark first dibs program which gives residents first chance at available affordable housing. And Tasha Martin, a survivor of domestic violence was successfully rehoused and stabilized. This is the work. The labor of love that says clearly housing is not just shelter. It is the foundation for stability, dignity, and opportunity. Addressing homelessness in a way that connects to economic stability and tells our own story and continues to move Newark Forward. And this summer we invite you to the grand opening of our Homeless Drop-In Center that will provide all around services from mental health to housing navigation to our residents without addresses as well as a place to shower and wash their clothes.

Our story also includes our continued focus on Arts and Culture, one of the few cities in the country that has consistently funded not just arts programs, but artists themselves. Which is why we are known as a City of the Arts. 81 percent of resident surveyed believed that Newark lives up to its cultural reputation and 75% say arts offerings are inclusive. We continue to use art as a mechanism to drive tourism, economic growth, and community pride in our city. It tells our story from Sarah Vaughn to Whitney Houston, From Queen Latifah to Michael B. Jordan. From Redman to DoItAll. And from Richard Wesley to Amiri Baraka.

We have also moved forward in an effort, with the Office of Sustainability, to lower the temperature in our city and clean its air. We have planted 1099 trees. This surpasses our benchmark of 1,000 trees planted. We’ve given away 350 fruit trees, thousands of seedlings, and helped support 13 community gardens. And soon you will see us in a few weeks begin painting the rooftops of our city buildings white, an initiative to cool the temperatures down in our City.

We also want to thank Governor Sherrill for ensuring that the Bay Bridge is fixed but not expanded which will lessen the trucks coming through our community and help us with our efforts to clean our air and fight the high asthma rates of our children because of particulate matter in the air. We are continuing to push forward for a healthier more resilient community.

We have also been working on access to transportation to jobs, healthier food options, cultural connections, education, and continuing to keep money in the pockets of our residents. We have partnered with VIA and have since provided 32,000 free rides across our City. With a 55% increase in access to jobs within 60 minutes of travel from East Newark. 90% of riders say they would be disappointed if this service didn’t exist. 57% connect to other transit, 36% say they travel more often now and the best part is that we provide employment for 24 drivers. We are looking for ways to expand this program as the demand continues to rise. This is a real opportunity to help us continue to fill a transportation gap that has provided life changing support to our residents.

We’ve also worked to reduce the cost of health care. Switching from State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) to a self-insured model shielded the City from a steep projected cost growth that would have driven medical spending from $102.9 million in 2022 to more than $210 million by 2026 – a 38% increase in 2026 alone. By making this move in 2023, the City is projected to save over $250 million through the end of 2026 compared with remaining in SHBP. These savings are already materializing: through Meritain and reference-based pricing (RBP), the City has reduced costs by a combined 87%, with reference-based pricing spending, just $1 million over six months in 2025 versus an estimated $7.9 million under the old model. This decision not only delivers immediate budget relief, but also creates a sustainable, long-term path to controlling healthcare costs and protecting taxpayer dollars.

And finally, our gold standard model in violence intervention and prevention – Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery (OVPTR) continues to play a central role in prevention and, more importantly, healing. And often we look at some of the people involved and are quick to judge their efforts. But their outcomes are real and sustainable. Redemption and salvation are not only for the favored few. It’s the work we do daily to help those that need it the most that defines us. Not how loud we speak at council meetings or the number of people we tear down. It is this daily unseen work that helped us serve over 2,000 residents last year. 1,470 mental health counseling, 3,021 referrals from the Police Division, 136 community and school events facilitated, engaging over 13,000 residents, 1,200 businesses, 265 community walks, 176 crisis responses and One Hood mediating over 200 conflicts preventing escalation of violence in our city. I’m proud of the work we are doing. The narrative we are creating around the country, and the lives we are transforming. I’m proud of the direction we are going and what we have done and plan to do. When you attempt to tell our story, tell the entire story or at least tell the damn truth.

You know when I get tired, or feel like I have endured too much, or that I’m putting my family at risk, I think of my own parents. I remember very clearly January 2014. We were in the middle of one of those polar vortexes. It was excessively cold for a long time. Like we just experienced. The entire time my father was laying in Beth Israel Hospital. This day I was on Clinton Avenue in front of my headquarters preparing to go canvass. I got a call to immediately get up to the hospital. My father was dying. By God’s grace I was able to get to the hospital with the rest of my family and watch him take his last breath. It felt like just moments before that he was just in the hospital room telling the nurses and doctors that his son was running for Mayor. He never got a physical chance to see me sworn in or deliver any of my State of the City Addresses. My mother sat in that hospital almost the entire time. My mother, an artist, a singer, an actor, an activist, a lover of justice, and her children. They both sacrificed so much for this City, their personal lives, their time, their safety, their freedom, birthdays, holidays, trips. Why? Because they were in love with this City and the people in it. And I convince myself, so that I may not get weary well doing, that I must keep pushing forward. That people long gone have sacrificed more than I can imagine so I can be on this stage here tonight.

I remember them both telling me how dangerous and ugly politics were. They were mostly talking about their time. The racist, and hate mongers, the police firing into their headquarters, or meetings disrupted. I’m sure that they could have never imagined what is going on now. My father was with Ken Gibson and Sharpe James, Ramon Aneses and Ramon Riveria, Hilda Hildalgo, and Harold Wilson. He got his head busted in the Newark Rebellion and stood with the Puerto Rican community in Branch Brook Park. But could never have fathomed the danger that is looming today. Not just from Trump’s hatefulness and his desire to crush every gain that was won for decades. But our trauma, confusion, and hatefulness that we turn on each other. The desire for recognition, opportunism, and unbridled ambition driven by the desire for power, not people. The comfort some get in trying to destroy each other, the constant lies, and the desire to cause each other real harm, to send each other to jail, to attack and demean family members, hateful words, in full view of our children our community, our enemies. A side show and a distraction. It has become so unserious in a dangerously serious time. Not to build, as my father would say, A New Ark! A ship because ships don’t sink because of the vastness of water around them. They sink because water gets inside of them. But for likes on Facebook, shock value, and Instagram followers. Foolishness. Not platforms, no ideas, no creativity or imagination, no labor, no work no heart for the people. Just driven by hate. No programs or support for others programs.

Our city is not perfect but we are at a damn better place than we were a decade ago. I was here. $93 million deficit, city buildings sold to the county that we leased back, 160 or so police officers laid off, no others hired in the four years before I took office. City workers being furloughed once a week. The city’s finances under state supervision, the schools under state control, the watershed monitored by former judges, 10 functional garbage trucks. Thank God those problems are of the past. We came through all of that. And have accomplished so much more. How dare you say nothing has changed? No investigation, no right to speak. In fact, you’re better off keeping your damn mouth shut.

Change comes through inspiration, movements are built around hope and ideas. Let your ideas blossom if you have any. Don’t let your ego overshadow the gifts God gave you. Or your plans become bigger than the ones that were promised to you.

I was a 24-year-old when I first ran for Mayor. I challenged the status quo not through vitriol or name calling. But through real ideas that young people sat around and came up with in my daddy’s basement. I lost that race against Sharpe James then. And he later made me a Deputy Mayor. That I did for $1. He also appointed me to a council position not because I hated him, but because I loved this City. But it took me 16 years to win anything on my own accord. But even before that we held food and clothing drives on the number blocks, taught Black history to students on Saturdays at Oscar Miles Housing. Held poetry events and studied every Friday. We held rallies and fought inequity. Actually, went to jail for the right to speak at council meetings that you all enjoy now. We had the love enough for the people to earn their vote, their respect, not create lies and fear, to try, and gain support.

I love this City – which is why we have reduced homicides to a historic low, why we created a land bank and turned renters into homeowners, why we started inclusionary zoning (20 percent affordability) that the state has now adopted. This is why we replaced every lead service line, returned the schools to local control after 20 years, why we created an ecosystem that has become an international model to treat crime as public health. Why we are developing so much in every single ward. Buildings going up all around you. Why I remember flipping on dirty mattresses in empty parking lots, and seeing a school bus on bricks in front of the projects that served as the local store. This is why we are building free and mutual aid grocery stores. Why we created a Guaranteed Income Program that is now being pushed on the state level as a bill, sponsored by Ravi Bhalla of Hoboken. Why we created Guaranteed Education and Mayor’s Scholars, this is why we sold properties for a dollar to $500, this is why we are putting properties in the hands of regular everyday people. Why we have men’s and women’s meetings. Why we raised youth summer employment from 1,000 to close to 3,000. This is why we expanded and remodeled city parks. This is why we are standing up Black and Brown businesses, why we defend our immigrant community, and struggle with economic disparity. And this is why I am still running for Mayor. Our job is not done yet. We are still marching forward. Forward ever backward never.

We don’t have the time or the space to turn around. We need serious people with serious ideas not a rerun of a bad talk show. We need stability and strength now more than ever. We need knowledge and real information. We can’t afford to get on the plane not now with a pilot that is not used to a little turbulence. Just open your eyes. Above the distractions and drama, you can see how beautiful our City is becoming. You can see that the City has moved forward one touchdown after the next. And I thank God for the years he has given me and your permission to be your Mayor still. This little kid from Clinton and 10th, Yusef’s Steak-N-Take on 14th and Avon.

I thank God that every single day he renews my strength – mounts me up with wings like eagles so that I may run and not be weary – walk and not faint. I’m just thankful that I have been given a tongue of the learned that I may know how to give inspiration to the weary, and thankful that he awakens me morning after morning and allows me to hear as the learned, as those that have been taught. I offered my back to those that beat me. I do not hide my face. I am not dismayed by the slings and arrows of the foolish, and can discern between hatred and truth. And the truth is that Newark will always prevail. That the forgotten stone will be the cornerstone. We will always rise to the top no matter what. This is who we are. We are not broke, not failing, not criminals, we are a beautiful people. Our population is increasing, our skyline is changing, the value of our homes rising, our community safer, more of our kids graduating, and going to college. No matter what you say or how you say it – Newark is on the rise!

I love this city and always will. Our labor is out of love, our struggle is out of love, our fight is out of love. We are telling our story!! And the story of our City is – Newark is continuing to move forward. Join us! Join us! Join us! Newark forward! Newark forward!

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.