Photography by Ksenia Poulber
rowing up in a small-town has its privileges. There’s usually low crime, a lower cost of living and close sense of community. However, sometimes small-town life can stifle exposure to other experiences that can lead to someone pursuing bigger things in life.
Big city living has its privileges too. City dwellers may have more of an opportunity to associate with more people from different walks of life, get exposed to different ethnicities, and become immersed in cultures that are vastly different from theirs. However, crime and the cost of living is usually higher and sometimes there is not a sense of a close-knit community.
Lori Lightfoot knows how to navigate through both worlds. Like me, Lori grew up in Massillon, Ohio and also like me, Lightfoot moved to Chicago many years ago. Unlike Chicago, Massillon is a small blue-collar town located in Northeast Ohio just south of Cleveland. Known for its power house high school football teams and one of the best programs in the country, the Massillon Tigers dominated high school football throughout the state for many decades and continue to do so. The city is rich in tradition and has boasted some of the best athletes to play the game. Known as Tiger Town USA, Massillon is a city that knows how to win. So, when I learned that my homie Lori was running for mayor of Chicago, I knew that a victory was in her grasp.
Now, as the Mayor of Chicago, Lightfoot just didn’t win the election, but galvanized people across the city, dominated her opponent by a huge margin of votes, and made history by becoming the first black female and openly gay mayor of the Windy City. Her victory was felt near and far. She not only inspired folks in this country but inspired people around the world. Mayor Lightfoot is preparing to hit the ground running after one of the shortest transition periods from administration to administration to take place in Chicago’s mayoral history.
Lori and I grew up together in Massillon attending the same church every Sunday at St. James AME Zion. As in any small town, our families knew each other well, so to say that I was beyond excited to watch her make history and become elected as mayor in a city that I’ve called home for twenty plus years is an understatement. After I sat down to chat with her about the historical win, family, life experiences, and plans for the city, I became even more proud to call her my homie.
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