WHAT BRIAN WILL FIGHT FOR

Neighborhood Development

Brian believes working together with the residents of the First Ward is the best way to make meaningful change that will push our community forward. That means addressing housing code issues so more families can invest in their neighborhoods, consistent lighting in our public parks, and creating solutions for the noise pollution that affects Eastfield residents located near the Saprrow campus.

Creating an environment for economic development and small business growth is also a key goal for Brian. That’s why he has been an advocate for providing grants and tax incentives for small business development in Lansing. “Being part of the revitalization of Michigan Avenue has been important and exciting to me. We have the empty buildings…we should be filling those up by providing people with opportunities through grants to help businesses get off the ground."

Public Safety

Brian supports local law enforcement to keep our community safe, but he also recognizes that police officers are not always the best solution in a dispute. That’s why one of Brian’s goals is to hire more social workers to work with the police department to ensure residents get the best outcome possible. “It's really important to make sure that not every response made is done so by an armed officer. I think that residents are more likely to get involved and stay engaged if their trust with the police increases, which will lead to safer outcomes for both police officers and residents alike. We all want to live here safely. We all want to know that our homes and jobs are safe. Most importantly, we all want to know that our kids are going to be safe. This isn't science, honestly. It's just empathy and communication."

Transparent Government

Without a mutual trust between 1st Ward residents and their City Council representative, Lansing will fail to meet its potential as the cultural and economic hub of Mid-Michigan. "I want to create and bring back the trust of local government. I want to be able to explain to people what's going on and why it's happening. In my conversations with residents of the 1st Ward, many people have felt unheard because of the lack of communication with the City Council, and I want to fix that. Over time, there has been a disconnect in how we treat each other. Respectful tolerance is something that has been lost. It’s been lost in our city and in our country. You don’t have to agree with someone to co-exist. You don’t have to agree to respect them. I want to work on bringing that sense of mutual respect back to the First Ward, so our residents can trust the process and decisions made by their elected leaders.”

Diversity

As Lansing continues to grow, it’s important that we have a diverse set of voices to ensure everyone in Lansing is heard. “Especially as a Black business owner located down the street from where Malcolm X's father was murdered, it's gratifying to be a part of the change and progress that we have made. As a council member, I want to be a part of the change that will ensure we continue to make Lansing a better place."

“I'm half black, and I'm half white, so I've lived in both worlds. And I understand that these conversations are not easy for anybody, but I think they're important. And I think that we have to continue to push to have them, otherwise, we won’t see any meaningful progress in race relations. That's how we can work past any biases that may exist.