Atlanta
mayoral candidate Kasim Reed is enlisting the help of big-time celebs
such as Jermaine Dupri, Keri Hilson, Kandi Burruss, Akon, Monica, B.
Cox and Devyne to encourage the electorate to vote in the run-off
election on Dec. 1.
Reed
forced a run-off with front-runner Mary Norwood when he stormed back
from a steep, third-place deficit and denied Norwood the 50 percent
threshold required to win the election outright.
The
Atlanta mayoral race attracted national media attention for its
racial and political implications. There has not been a white mayor
of the South’s most important city since legendary Maynard Jackson
took office in 1974. Norwood, a white woman, led the general election
over Reed, an African American, in early November, 46–36
percent. Political pundits bemoaned the extremely low African
American voter turnout in some precincts during November’s general
election — some districts reported as low as 4 percent of eligible
black voter turnout — which was described as “lethargic.”
This
is partially why Reed has enlisted the voices of iconic Atlanta
celebrities to stir higher turnout for Tuesday’s election. Here’s
a sampling of what they said:
Super-producer
Jermaine Dupri: “We need a mayor that knows the city, that
understands the city and has been taught by the generation that came
before us. And if anyone is in that position, it’s Kasim Reed. I’ve
followed him enough to know that he followed the leaders that
controlled this city in the past and they want to pass on that
torch.”
Kandi
Burruss of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”: It’s very
important for all of us to go out and vote, because, one, they are
expecting us to sit at home. So we all need to stand up. We want to
see change in Atlanta. We want to see Atlanta grow into the city that
it should be. And we need to get someone in there who can do the job
and can make things happen.”
Singer
Monica: “He believes in the things that we do, and understands that
our children are our future. And if we don’t help them now, they
will have no future.”
Keri
Hilson: “Senator Reed is a breath of fresh air. Especially since I
know, as a creative person, that children need an outlet where they
can express themselves creatively and have a place where they can
hone their talents and hone their crafts. When I heard that he wanted
to open up 23 recreation centers, I said, ‘wow, this is what I’m
talking about. This is what our children need. They are shutting down
art and music programs in the schools. They need an outlet,
especially during these times.”
Producer
B. Cox: “I believe Kasim should be mayor of Atlanta. No. 1, his
understanding of the community. He understands that Atlanta is the
mecca of all things cultural. I think Kasim has a great understanding
of what makes Atlanta, Atlanta. “
Singer-songwriter-producer
Akon: “We have to make sure that the right person is in place to
make those things happen. He’s doing things for the community.
We’ve been fighting forever for this opportunity, so why not take
advantage of it? If anything goes wrong we can’t blame [anyone] but
ourselves because we’re not exercising that right to make things
better.”
–terry shropshire
