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Cory Booker: Man of the People

If you live on the East Coast, you’ve probably heard about Corey Booker before, but he gets alot less press over here in the Northwest, so we thought we should let people know.  Booker, 39, is the current Mayor of Newark, New Jersey; a city with a long history of problems such as high crime rates, political corruption, underperforming schools, and unemployment, to name a few.  For the past several years, even before becoming Mayor, Booker has been using a hands on approach to changing that history.

In 1998 Booker moved into Brick Towers, a well-known housing project in the city’s Central Ward, and organized tenants to fight for improved conditions.  That same year he was elected to the City Council.  Over the next several months he tried to draw attention to the city’s drug trafficking problem by living in a motor home which he parked on coners notorious for dealing.  After losing his 2002 bid for mayor, Booker founded Newark Now, a grassroots organization that provides many programs aimed at improving the quality of life for the city’s residents.  In 2006, Booker finally won the mayor position and has made some great improvements over the last couple years.  While continuing to live among the people, (now in an apartment in the city’s notoriously poor and crime-ridden South Ward) Booker does regular ride-alongs with his police force, mentors teenage boys, and hosts open-office hours for citizens to meet with him one on one. 

Even with all Booker’s efforts Newark still has a long way to go and many things to fix, but at least they have a leader who is willing to do what it takes to make it happen.

-JH

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