It is a new year. From the White House to the local courthouse, change is happening across America. Innovative ideas are needed, and so is strong leadership. In Knoxville, there are many strong Black leaders; those with integrity, courage, and a boldness to speak stand and speak up for the needs of African Americans, those willing to tell the stories, to speak truth to power, to lead as a servant leader. Among those poised to lead Knoxville to higher levels are those in this first article of the new year. Dr. Martin Luther King said great leaders inspire others to not just see the world as they do, but they feel compelled to make that vision a reality.
Amelia Parker is such a leader. An attorney who is serving her second term in city council, Parker, a strong and outspoken advocate, has a plan to make her vision of a greater Knoxville a reality. Looking into 2025, among her goals to make the city better, three stand out; create funding for emergency shelters and services established by ordinance and included in the 2025-2026 city budget, work in committee to revise city council rules, including those for public speaker forums, and to support five people to run for the open city council seats that will champion the issues of the poor and marginalized.
Reggie Jenkins Founder and Executive Director of UUNIK Academy is fierce champion for African American youth. His organization was founded in 2003, and for almost 30 years, he has worked to transform youth to become the best they can be through education. He believes “its easier to create strong children instead of tying repair broken men.”
Angela Dennis is an award-winning journalist who covers issues on social justice, culture, race, and equity and has the great ability to seek out and tell the African American story and make it come alive to the reader. Her work is very respected and has been published in major news media outlets across the nation. Willing to travel to get the truth, she covered the effects of the floods in rural Tennessee and NC and has interviewed and told the stories of many great African Americans, among them Dr. Robert Booker, and the great Nikki Giovanni.
Damon Rawls sits in a seat of power on the Knox County Commission. Newly elected, he has a goal to represent his district with excellence. When asked about his goals for 2025, his response, “My priorities are to support the office of housing and sustainability with the homeless efforts.” Rawls also intends to address the rising eviction problems in Knoxville by working with Legal Aid.
Avice Reid Interim President of Knoxville Area Urban League is one of the most respected women in Knoxville with the ability to take the reins of any organization and guide it seamlessly through transition, such as she is doing now as the Urban League seeks new leadership. Reid intends to guide the historic agency during the search collaboratively, saying while she is in the interim, her desire is for more people to utilize the services offered by the urban league.
