
Teresa Thomas-Smith is dedicated to ending the racial and economic divide in her city.
Mayor-elect Thomas-Smith said, “I am on such a high, even when I lay down, I can’t sleep. The city is vibrating right now, it is not just me.”
She decided to run for mayor and beat the competition out by 84 votes.
She promised residents that they could expect the highest standards from her.
“They can expect honesty, transparency, and communication. The very first thing I want to do is create a City Hall, a city government that is welcoming to the citizens. We want everyone to know this administration values you, as a member of this community,” Thomas-Smith told the outlet.
The 55-year-old politician was first introduced to politics because of her desire to learn more about her community. She expressed, “We want this to be an eat, work, live, play community where everybody has something to do.”
Originally from Atlanta, Thomas-Smith said she is excited to bring a smart development plan to the city that will maintain the city’s historical standing composition.
She explained, “There is a way to do economic development that keeps the city with a small-town feel.”
She hopes that the new development will help to resolve the racial divide in the area. As a wife and mother, it’s important to improve the place that they will grow up and plant their roots, she noted.
“There’s more that unites us than separates us. We all get cut, we all bleed the same red blood,” she pointed out.
When asked, “So, your message to white Palmetto residents who may not have voted for you is love?” Thomas-Smith replied that it was “absolutely” her message, to spread love and not division.
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Source: Black Enterprise