Deborah Jackson (Georgia)

I am an experienced attorney, committed community advocate and public servant. I served as the Mayor of Lithonia, Georgia for 8 years and two years on the City Council which provided both executive and legislative experience. I worked to implement the community's vision to improve housing conditions and attract new businesses. During my tenure, the minimum wage of city employees was raised to $15 hour; technical assistance was acquired to develop a housing conditions survey, a sidewalk survey, and guidelines for the historic preservation of residential and commercial buildings. The establishment of partnerships led to the redevelopment of dilapidated city property into a $12 million housing project; the designation of the City to the National Register of Historic Places; and a Blueprint of development opportunities by the Georgia Conservancy.

I have the experience needed to serve as an advocate for the interests and concerns of ordinary Georgians and working families. I will work tirelessly to ensure that those voices are heard and to bring about meaningful change.

• I bring experience and competence in governing to meet the current challenges facing the country and finding solutions.

• I am committed to addressing the inequities in housing, education, employment, healthcare and business development.

• I will fight for the protection and restoration of voting rights and the expansion of health care.

I am passionate about protecting the basic rights of people. I believe that public policy needs to be developed that enhances basic rights to healthcare, housing, employment and education. The current Corona virus pandemic has exposed the glaring disparities that exist within the state of Georgia and around the country. People who are the most vulnerable due to health, living conditions and the jobs they perform, have been negatively impacted in terms of deaths and complications from the virus. There needs to be policies developed that not only addresses the current crisis but seeks to make systemic changes to remove the barriers that have contributed to or caused the disparities in the first place.

One of my heroines is Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to the US Congress in 1969. She was very involved with her community and focused on children's education and women's rights among other issues before seeking political office. She had the audacity to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972 at a time when there were not many Black women in the national spotlight. Her motto of "unbought and unbossed" was inspiring to me as a young college student. Her example of standing up for what you believe in and making a difference encouraged me to not be easily deterred when confronted with obstacles.

The most important characteristics for an elected official include the ability to listen attentively; have compassion and empathy; and have credibility and integrity. People often want to be able to tell their story and have someone listen to them. Elected officials are representatives of the community they serve and not everyone will agree with the positions taken or decisions made. It is important to be able to listen to views you may not agree with as well as explain the basis of your positions.

I have compassion and am a passionate advocate for my community. I have the ability to bring together diverse points of view to build consensus to accomplish goals without compromising my principles. I am determined, persistent and not easily deterred. I believe in active listening to understand different points of view.

My favorite book is "When and Where I Enter - The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America" by Paula Giddings, initially published in 1984 and reprinted in 2006. I loved history in high school but always had a feeling that something seemed to be missing. As a history major in college, I became interested in the roles and contributions of those not often mentioned in the general narratives of the history of the United States. While the contributions of Black people as a whole are often neglected, the contributions of Black women is even more invisible. The author Paula Giddings does an amazing job of giving life and personality to the amazing women, some of whose names are known, but not often situated in the full context of the contributions they made toward the advancement and struggle for equality and human dignity.

There are many challenges that will confront the United States over the next decade. I believe the greatest challenges as a nation include climate change, restoration of the economy and the eradication of systemic racism. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the world economy and will require addressing the rights of workers, livable wages, and the impact on the environment to re-establish an economy that is robust and equitable. Although the eradition of systemic racism is a long term process; given the recent awareness of and attention to the issue by the general population, there is hope that progress may come sooner rather than later.

Having some previous experience in government or politics is beneficial for US Senators because of the nature of the work is to create legislation. One does not necessarily have to be an attorney or have legal experience, but it is necessary to have a good understanding of the legal process to be effective. Historically, the Senate has been considered to be a more deliberative body that examines legislative proposals. Having served in local government, both as a Mayor and Council Member, I have experience in the executive and legislative branches. The inner workings of government is very different from other institutions. There is a level of accountability to the public and the other representatives. I believe that background helps to prepare one to be an effective advocate and legislator.

The main criteria when deciding to confirm presidential appointees would be the qualifications and relevant experience of the appointee. The appointee should be competent for the position for which he/she is under consideration. I would also be interested in the appointees' political philosophy regarding the role of government in addressing the needs of citizens.