Kenderick Cox is dressed in a shirt and tie, hair neatly clipped. He is methodical, orderly and a little nervous in his prepared presentation before the Greenwood Voters League.
Shun Pearson sports a printed shirt, a full head of long braids and a furrowed brow. He rarely references his notes and moves easily as he makes the case why Greenwood needs a black male mayor.
Both men — Cox is 32, Pearson is 43 — demonstrate serious dedication and preparation for running for Greenwood mayor.
Cox said he leaves work every day at 3:30 and is knocking on doors at 3:35. Pearson said he has been preparing for this all of his adult life.
The Voters League forum on Wednesday night featured these two candidates. Cox, a Democrat, is running in the primary on May 2. Pearson, an independent, will be on the general election ballot in June alongside incumbent Carolyn McAdams and whichever Democrat wins the May primary.
Next week’s meeting will host the other two Democrats on the primary ballot: Jelani Barr and Tavarris Cross.
Both Cox and Pearson outlined what have by now become familiar planks in their platforms, and each thoughtfully addressed audience questions about the future of Greenwood and the city’s leadership.
Voters League Vice President Robert Sims opened the evening with an encouragement to those gathered to get out and vote.
“Don’t be fooled and get caught up by all the billboards around town,” he said. “Mayor McAdams bought them all. But billboards don’t vote; people do.”
Cox took the podium first, discussing the decline he has witnessed in Greenwood since his childhood — a town “drifting away from its principles” that has become “too dependent on the government dime.”
Cox said building relationships between citizens and government was essential to restore trust and ensure progress.
He advocated building stronger relationships with surrounding area colleges and universities to provide hands-on training for their students while providing needed services in Greenwood, such as improving housing and providing mentors for youth.
He emphasized the need for better public education and intense vocational training for high school grads who may not be on a college path.
Additionally, he presented his ideas for improving policing by paying more competitive salaries; creating a homegrown team dedicated exclusively to economic development and creating partnerships between businesses of all sizes and the workforce; and growing opportunities for youth activity whether it be in sports, music, art, drama, tutoring or mentoring, “anything to provide a safe environment around them.”
Cox proposed a community land trust that would make blighted properties available for repair and renovation to those in need of affordable housing, to be sold at the cost of materials rather than at market value while providing job and life skills.
Pearson led with his mantra, “Moving forward for real.”
“‘For real’ means anything I say up here today is attainable,” he said.
He said that everyone is aware of a “negative air in town” that discounts his candidacy and those of the other Democrats. He urged the people of south Greenwood to take their place in assuring the city’s future rather than accepting prophecies of doom for the black community.
As an example, he held up the perception that poor people don’t want to work. He said the city’s control of employment opportunities “holds jobs for ransom.”
“We have one of the most talented workforces,” he said. “Stop telling people they don’t want a job. It looks like they’re starting to believe it.”
“Poor people pay taxes, too,” he said, promising to use tax money to establish a Parks and Recreation Division at the city should he be elected mayor, to provide quality recreation opportunities for those citizens who need it most.
He emphasized the need for accountability among elected officials and those they represent.
“If the town is full of trash, then somebody has to be held accountable,” he said, adding that once-a-week trash collection by the city is not adequate and exacerbates fly and mosquito problems. He said citizens need to take pride in keeping their city clean.
He proposed that a traffic court for the majority of minor offenses be opened on Saturday mornings, to deal with the problem of working people having to appear during work hours to pay fines and answer charges.
Pearson called attention to the bad lighting problem in South Greenwood that contributes to citizens feeling unsafe and to crime. He said elected officials need to be held accountable when those kinds of problems are not addressed.
Referring to a comment made earlier in the evening by state Sen. David Jordan, president of the Voters League, Pearson said, ““Mr. Jordan said, ‘You can’t run broke.’ Well, I say you can’t run if you don’t get into race.”
Regarding money in political races, he said, “I don’t want payoffs. I don’t want to be around corruption. It doesn’t agree with me.”
Pearson attacked ignorance and apathy, telling the audience that fewer than 5,000 people participated in the electoral process in previous municipal elections.
He said current leaders need to own up to the fact that South Greenwood has been neglected in terms of city services and the needs of a significant number of its people.
“You’ve got to say that out loud. These adults are out there with limited resources and don’t know what to do. Our mayor needs to know that and understand that.
“I have always defied the odds,” Pearson said. “We’ve got to start putting people in the right seat on the bus, not just on the bus.”
• Contact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
