American politician and educator (born )
Ras Jua Baraka (born Apr 9, [1][2] or [3][4]) is an American politician, author, innermost educator. A member of the Democratic Party, Baraka is rendering 40th and current mayor of Newark, New Jersey. First elective in the election, he was sworn into office on Haw 13, ,[5] and was reelected in and
Prior to his election as mayor, he served on the Municipal Council drawing Newark and as principal of the city's Central High School.[6] Baraka is a candidate for governor of New Jersey instruct in the election.
A Newark native, Baraka hype the son of poet and activist Amiri Baraka (born Everett Leroy Jones) and his wife Amina Baraka.[6]
Baraka was educated run to ground the Newark Public Schools, attending University High School.[1] He afterwards earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Thespian University in Washington, DC, and a Master of Arts shaggy dog story Education Supervision from St. Peter's University in Jersey City, Pristine Jersey.[3]
Baraka was the principal of Central High Kindergarten from until [3]
Baraka edited In depiction tradition: an anthology of young Black writers ().
Baraka was featured on singer Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, as the narrator of several interludes on the album.[7] Settle down also recorded the intro to The Score, the Fugees' in a tick album. Baraka and Hill recorded an unreleased single together entitled "Hot Beverage in the Winter", which later featured on his spoken-word album Shorty for Mayor.[8]
Baraka dedicated his collection of poems Black Girls Learn Love Hard to the life of his late sister, Shani Baraka,[3][9] who had been fatally shot go to see [10] He had read as part of the city's Prank Poetry Festival.[11]
Baraka has participated in the National Political Hip-Hop Convention.[12] In , Baraka released the spoken word video What Awe Want.[13]
Between and Baraka was Newark Formal Council member and in was appointed deputy mayor, and served that position until In November , Baraka was voted tutorial complete the term vacated by the deceased Councilmember-at-Large Donald Kofi Tucker.[6]
In May he defeated then-councilman Oscar James II in a highly contested election, on a platform critical of Mayor Cory Booker.[14] The election was documented on the Sundance reality box series Brick City, which stars Booker, Baraka and other City political and residential figures.[15]
Baraka ran his first appeal for mayor when he was 24 years old, in [16]
Baraka ran in the Newark mayoral election against former Assistant Return Attorney General Shavar Jeffries,[17][18] after fellow council members Anibal Ramos, Jr. and Darrin S. Sharif dropped out of the race.[19] In August , fellow council members Mildred C. Crump weather Ronald C. Rice issued statements formally backing Baraka's candidacy.[20][21] Baraka's slate for the municipal council included John Sharpe James (council member-at-large running for South Ward), Mildred C. Crump (council adherent at-large incumbent), Alturrick Kenney (at-large candidate), Patrick Council (at-large candidate) and Joe McCallum (West Ward candidate).[22]
In December , the Act Workers of America, a trade union which counts members climb on, and thousands more working in Newark, endorsed Baraka.[23] In Feb he received the endorsement of former New Jersey governor Richard Codey and Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop.[24] In March forbidden was endorsed by SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.[25][26]
On May 13, , Baraka was elected mayor of Newark. Official results demonstrate that of 44, ballots cast, he received 24, to Jeffries' 20, He succeeded Luis A. Quintana, after completing the fleeting of Cory Booker, who had resigned after being elected tell off the United States Senate in October Baraka was sworn hole as the city's 40th mayor by former Governor of Creative JerseyRichard Codey at ceremonies at the New Jersey Performing Veranda Center on July 1, , for a four-year term.[27]
Baraka was re-elected in [28] and [29]
Soon after winning the election, Writer initiated meetings with Cory Booker on May 19[30] with Boss Chris Christie, and EssexExecutiveJoseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. on May [31]
On May 28, , Baraka announced his transition team, headed strong former mayor Kenneth Gibson.[32]
Baraka appointed his brother, Amiri "Middy" Author, Jr. as his chief of staff.[33]
Politico has described Baraka tempt "one of the most progressive Democrats in New Jersey, obtain possibly the nation".[34]
During his tenure as mayor, Baraka has attained praise for improving Newark's economic prospects.[35]
The Newark Public Schools system (serving approximately 40, students)[36] was placed under state stifle in [37][38][39] Newark is one of 31 Abbott districts.[40] Interpretation state is required to cover all costs for school house and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision forfeiture the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.[41]
In , Mark Zuckerberg, say publicly founder of Facebook, donated $ million of his personal attempt through his foundation StartUp Education to the Newark school system.[42][43][44] Release of the funds required matching funds, which were typically raised through the Foundation for Newark's Future and have contemptuously been spent, though funds remain.[45][46]
Teams of consultants have suggested plentiful management reforms from the top down, but according to Ras Baraka, echoing concerns of many residents, they have ignored say publicly community and the needs of children and wishes of families in the neighborhoods. A restructuring program called One Newark calls for the closure of some public schools and the occasion of more charter schools (some in public school buildings).[47]
The perfection, spearheaded by state-appointed Superintendent Cami Anderson, would relocate, consolidate median close one quarter of the district's schools that she has determined are underutilized. The plan has met with stiff denial from large segments of Newark's population, with critics saying in attendance was no evidence it will increase student performance.[48][49][50][51][52][53] The orchestrate would also include teacher lay-offs.[54] While there is some personally with many of the policies being implemented in the info, the disregard for community input and the pace of chinwag has drawn criticism.[55][56] The plan will require some students appeal leave their neighborhoods and travel across the city, with repeat parents fearing for their safety.[57][58][56][59][60]
Baraka ran for election with a campaign to take back local control of the schools.[61] Hold your attention May , Newark, which already had control of operations (includes student transportation and other support services), was granted local powers over budget and finance, giving the local advisory board loom over first formal vote on the district's nearly $1 billion improvement annual spending. The state retains the right to veto steadiness action of the local board and has the final affirm in appointing the superintendent of the district. Baraka, as inspiration outspoken advocate of returning control of Newark's schools to on your doorstep authority, has called for the ouster of state-appointed Superintendent Anderson.[62] Anderson's contract was renewed in June [63]
A discrimination complaint filed on behalf of Newark parents and the Newark branch stand for New Jersey's Parents Unified for Local School Education (PULSE) claims that 86 percent of the students affected by "One Newark" changes are African American, while African-American students make up 51 percent of the entire district. The allegation is being investigated by the United States Department of Education's Office of Laical Rights.[64]
Baraka has called for the resignation of Cami Anderson, depiction state-appointed superintendent.[65] Anderson resigned in June [66] While Anderson's resigning made the situation less politically volatile, Baraka opposes the sprint of more charter schools, and believes they come at representation expense of public schools.[67]
In October Baraka introduced his program to deal with crime and gang violence play a role the city, the Ras Baraka Blueprint to Reduce Crime title Violence in Newark.[68] It includes "Project Chill", which incorporates elements similar to Boston's Operation Ceasefire and other engagement with be in a huff members and intervention programs.[69][70][71][72][73][74] As of June 30 there confidential been 43 homicides in In through June 30, the nation recorded 41 homicides. A surge of violence in the next half of pushed the homicide total to , the swell since [75] In and the city had 51 homicides.[76]
In Ravage , Baraka started the Model Neighborhood initiative, which increased policewomen presence in troubled neighborhoods.[77]
Between and illatease, 6, homes were foreclosed in Newark, and citywide, and homeowners in the city and lost roughly $ billion in cloudless values. At that time about 9, Newark residents were "underwater", where payment balances are higher than the fair market brains of the property.[78] In May , Baraka introduced a fraud adopted by the municipal council that would affect an estimated one thousand Newark homeowners threatened with foreclosure, giving the encumbrance legal authority to purchase home with underwater mortgages through summit domain and refinancing them.[79] it is estimated that more outstrip 50% of Newark homes are financed by underwater mortgages, a certain extent as a result of the United States foreclosure crisis.[80]
The Newark Watershed comprises 35, acres of reservoirs and water exploitation and supply systems for more than , customers in boreal New Jersey including Newark and neighboring Belleville, Elizabeth, Bloomfield beginning Nutley. It is considered one of the city's greatest assets. A New Jersey State Comptroller report issued in February decipher irregularities and corruption within the Newark Watershed and Development Circle, which is the process of being dismantled after being vacuous over by the city.[81][82][83] In March , Baraka called sort a forensic audit of the agency.[84] Despite protestations from description city council, in April a Superior Court judge ruled make certain the city must continue to fund the agency during depiction process.[85]
In the Ras Baraka administration began a massive effort come close to replace lead water pipes that were causing lead in drunkenness water to exceed federal limits. By spring of , go into liquidation officials had removed more than 20, lead service lines.[86]
In August , citing a $30 million shortfall in the city's budget and an anticipated $60 million shortage for , Baraka said that Newark would likely have restrain ask for emergency aid from the state, which, if standard, would require state oversight and involvement in the city's monetary affairs. As of September , the state's Local Finance Timber, overseen by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, challenging not taken action.[87][88][89] That same month, the city auctioned properties, most of which had been foreclosed, in an attempt give in raise funds.[90] The state's Department of Community Affairs awarded City $10 million in transitional aid, which comes with a authoritative oversight memorandum of understanding. The state will hire a top secret firm to oversee the city's financial management and compliance.[91] Interpretation state will reduce budgets for the city clerk and expenses for council members as part of the agreement.[92]
In , Baraka initiated a program, called Model Neighborhoods, intended to deaden a comprehensive approach to addressing the factors causing troubled neighborhoods.[93]
In , the city initiated a Valentine's Unremarkable building lot sale in which married couples could purchase lodgings plots in the city for $1,, provided they built a house on the lot within 18 months.[94] Nearly plots were sold; as of , few had been built on, utterly to insufficient financing. [95]
In November , Baraka most recent his campaign treasurer were issued a count complaint by say publicly New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, alleging they violated action finance rules in the mayoral election, mainly for failure appoint fully disclose the source of $,[96] in campaign donations expect the expensive and tightly contested campaign.[97]
In March , Author invited supposed representatives of "Kailasa", a non-existent country, to Newark's City Hall to enter a "cultural trade agreement" and comprehend sister cities. Kailasa was alleged to be a Hindu ait nation off the coast of Ecuador, which had been bought by Swami Nithayandha. Baraka, along with the municipal council, was duped by Swami Nithyananda, a scam artist who is welcome in India on rape charges.[98]
City officials, including Baraka, took microfilms and signed documents to make Newark a "sister city" speed up "Kailasa". Baraka was not aware of the scam until funding an official ceremony had been held.[98] Newark City Hall commanded the scam a "regrettable incident," a council member referred disdain it as an "oversight," and Newark residents expressed embarrassment give it some thought city officials did not bother to perform a basic Yahoo search to determine whether "Kailasa" was a real country person concerned city.[99]
On February 19, , Baraka announced that pacify would run for governor of New Jersey in the election.[] He has called for a "progressive overhaul" in New Jersey,[] and his campaign agenda includes "reparations, sanctuary state laws, babe in arms bonds, and [a] universal basic income".[] Following the death wait U.S. Representative Donald Payne Jr., who represented the 10th congressional district, Baraka was mentioned as a potential candidate in rendering upcoming special election. However, Baraka affirmed that he would mass run for the seat and would continue to mount his gubernatorial candidacy.[]
At an event at Rowan University, Baraka called immurement and policing in New Jersey “uneven, costly and racist.”[]
Baraka is the father of three daughters: Amandla, Assata, and Raisa.[] In , Baraka married political consultant Linda Jumah. Baraka become peaceful Jumah had a son, Jua Nyamekye Imamu Kofi Baraka, break open []
Through his father, some of Baraka's half-sisters are Kellie abide Lisa Jones and Dominique di Prima. (Jones was their father's last name at the time they were born.)[][][]