Dear Friends of Gary,
My name is Jordan Wilson. For those of you whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting, I am a 2016 graduate of Howard University and a Public Interest Scholar at Winthrop House at Harvard University. I am also an aspiring law student, and with God’s help, I will join Harvard Law’s class of 2022 in the fall.
I have been blessed with two wonderful parents, Carmen and Karen (Freeman) Wilson. I am writing to you as an enthusiastic supporter of my mom’s re-election as Mayor of my hometown Gary, Indiana. How can I forget her historic victory in 2011? She was elected the first female Mayor of Gary and the first female African-American mayor in the state of Indiana! For as long as I could remember, she dreamed of a better future for the citizens of our city. She talked about the need to fight crime, remove blight, create jobs and improve the conditions for all residents. Ever since assuming the role of Mayor, she stopped talking and leaped into action.
For the past 7 years, she has led an incredible team, whom she affectionately calls “Team Gary.” Their hard work has yielded the completion of more than $20 million dollars of street and sewer repairs, the expansion of the Gary/Chicago International Airport with $30 million dollars in private investment, the reduction of Gary’s current murder rate by 17% and the creation of jobs through new and existing businesses that have invested more than $100 million dollars in our city. In other words, my mom is doing just what she set out to do!
Gary has also become one of the country’s leaders in the public art movement. For the past year, she has worked with Indiana State Senator Eddie Melton and a host of others to champion legislation that will lead to the creation of an intermodal yard in Buffington Harbor and a new, exciting opportunity for casino gaming located on Interstate 80/94 corridor. People have always been at the center of her work. This success speaks directly to mom’s role as chief believer for a brighter future for the citizens of Gary.
I was born and raised in this city. From childhood, I have been keenly aware of the economic, social, and public safety challenges confronting our city. As someone who has lived in Washington, D.C. and Boston and who has been a student of urban communities, I know that Gary’s experience is not unique. Despite the challenging circumstances her role may bring, my mom has maintained unwavering faith and steadfast commitment to ensuring a fair and more equitable future for every citizen. She has also been a unifying leader in the face of divisive and polarizing times. Her hard work on behalf of the city has been accomplished while meeting the needs of our family. Not only has she been a loving wife to my father for 25 years and a supportive mother to me and my siblings, but she has been an incredible caregiver to my grandmother and great aunts. To say she is the “go to” in our family would be an understatement.
Simply put, my mom is an inspiration and role model for me and countless others. More importantly, she is the city’s most passionate champion who has steered Gary through turbulent times and poised it for a complete turnaround. The time has come for her to run again, and it is vital that she be allowed to finish the work that is sure to benefit our city for generations to come.
I am asking you to make an investment in Gary’s future. Please contribute to my Mom’s re-election campaign by clicking on this link or by visiting www.actblue.com and typing in “Karen Freeman-Wilson.” You can also address a check or money order to “Committee to Elect Karen Freeman-Wilson at P.O. Box 64624, Gary, IN 46401.
If you are a Gary resident, please vote for my mom on May 7, 2019. Finally, the greatest assistance you can offer is to keep our family in your prayers, and we will be sure to do the same.
Warmly submitted,
Jordan Wilson
