Color Of Change PAC Celebrates Sheldon Neeley’s Flint Mayoral Election Win
STATEMENT: Color Of Change PAC Celebrates Sheldon Neeley’s Flint Mayoral Election Win
Arisha Hatch, Director of the Color Of Change PAC, released the following statement in reaction to Sheldon Neeley’s victory in the Flint, Michigan Mayoral Election:
“Today, the people of Flint sent a decisive message by electing Sheldon Neeley as their next mayor. To all of the elected officials, government agencies, and private interests that allowed the water of the city to be tainted, the people of Flint said enough is enough.
“Color Of Change PAC enthusiastically endorsed Neeley, a state representative and Flint native, because we knew he would bring back trust, transparency, and truth to the Flint mayor’s office. His strong working-class values are evident in his determination to hold officials accountable for their role in the devastating and avoidable water crisis that still severely impacts primarily Black and brown communities. Neeley has an achievable plan to make important progress in resolving this crisis in his first 100 days and we look forward to his swift action. We also believe that he is the best qualified to provide better resources for residents, ensure that children receive a high-quality education, build trust between law enforcement and communities of color, enact steps to end gun violence, and reform the criminal justice system.
“Throughout this campaign, Color Of Change PAC worked to fuel on-the-ground and digital activations, engaging Black voters through nearly freezing temperatures canvassing, hosting debate parties, and yesterday’s text-a-thon. Lead by Ariana Hawk, a Color Of Change PAC field organizer and local activist, the team knocked on thousands of doors in under a month, sent digital ads that were viewed nearly 1.5 million times, and reached nearly 30,000 Flint residents via direct mail. We are proud that our local Flint squad worked so hard to ensure Rep. Neeley’s victory today and we are hopeful that this marks the beginning of the end of the perpetual series of avoidable crises that continue to affect the residents of Flint.”
“It’s just hard to explain how this feels,” said Hawk after results came in with Color Of Change PAC members and volunteers. “Our members did this. We’ve gone through so much as a city and ultimately this race was about accountability for the water, for the schools and everything else we’ve dealt with. We really want to celebrate the work of our Flint squad.”
ARISHA HATCH
DIRECTOR, COLOR OF CHANGE PAC
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Color Of Change PAC is a Political Action Committee focused on building independent Black political power, amplifying Black voices, electing candidates who share our values, and holding them accountable to our communities. For more information on Color Of Change PAC, visit votingwhileblack.com.