Jaylen Smith, 18-year-old mayor of Earle, Ark., at the Arkansas Black Mayors Association 50th Anniversary Gala, held Sept. 10, 2022, in Little Rock. The 18-year-old college student has been elected to serve as mayor of a small east Arkansas city, becoming one of the youngest people to serve as a city’s top leader in the United States
Jaylen Smith is an 18-year-old college student who was recently in December 2022 elected as the mayor of Earle, Arkansas. Earle is a small town with a population of around 1,831 people. Smith ran against another candidate, Nemi Matthews, and won the election by a margin of 218 votes to 139.
Smith is reportedly one of the youngest mayors ever elected in the United States and is also the youngest Black mayor in U.S. history, according to NBC News. He recently graduated from high school in May and is currently a college freshman.
It is noteworthy that Smith was able to win the election at such a young age, as it is unusual for someone so young to be elected to public office. His youth and enthusiasm may have been seen as a positive by the voters in Earle, who likely believe that he has the potential to bring fresh ideas and energy to the role of mayor.
“People looking at me, well I’m too young, he has no experience, he’s fresh out of high school,” Smith told Little Rock TV station KATV. “But I used to always tell people you have to start somewhere in life.”
According to NBC News, Mr Smith decided that he wanted to run for mayor of Earle, Arkansas at the beginning of his senior year of high school. This decision was apparently influenced by his involvement in the student government association, as other members of this group reportedly encouraged him to run.
“I didn’t run to make a name for myself,” Smith told CNN. “I ran because I wanted to help my community and move my community in the direction that it needed to be moved in.”
The young Mayor has a number of goals and priorities for his time in office. Specifically, he plans to focus on several key areas in order to improve the community and the quality of life for its residents.
One of Smith’s main goals is to bring a major grocery store to the city. This would increase access to food for the residents of Earle, which is likely a major concern for many people in the community.
Smith also wants to focus on public safety and transportation. This could involve implementing new measures to ensure the safety of the community, such as increasing the number of police officers or installing more street lights. It could also involve improving the transportation infrastructure, such as by building new roads or public transit systems.
Smith also plans to work on beautifying the city and tearing down abandoned buildings. This could involve initiatives such as planting trees, building new parks, and removing dilapidated buildings that are eyesores or safety hazards.
Overall, it seems that Smith has a strong vision for the future of Earle and is committed to taking action to improve the community and the lives of its residents.
“I feel my purpose from God is to advocate for the ones that are scared and afraid to advocate for themselves,” Smith said, reports The Hill. “The ultimate goal is to provide help, love and care.”
In Nigeria, who is your Local Government Chairman? At 18 years old, do you even have access to his office?
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