Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
The demands for equitable development and structural reform took center stage at the “City Council Summit: The Final Vote,” hosted by Reverend Greg Drumwright and the Justice 4 The Next Generation ministry of The Citadel Church on Monday, October 27th. Moderated by Dr. Irish Gaymon Spencer, the forum brought together a deep field of mayoral and council candidates, creating a powerful dialog, particularly concerning the historical neglect of East Greensboro.
Mayoral Candidates Clash on East Greensboro Development
The sharpest exchange of the evening involved mayoral candidates Marikay Abuzuaiter and Robbie Perkins, focusing on development in East Greensboro and protecting existing neighborhoods.
Perkins, who served as the city’s mayor from 2011 to 2013, advocated using a 2012 disparity study to justify his vision for road connectors and corridors through East Greensboro as a path to economic development.
Marikay Abuzuaiter and District 1 Council incumbent Sharon Hightower responded, saying that the specific connector Perkins referenced would have “cut a road straight through N.C. A&T’s Farm,” which drew wails of audible surprise and approval from an audience recognizing the potential displacement and disregard for the historically Black college’s assets. The previously proposed Florida Street connector, which the East Greensboro community and A&T alumni widely criticized as “the road to nowhere,” remains highly unpopular.
Abuzuaiter, who has served on city council since 2011, emphasized that she instead advocates for strategic growth that respects neighborhoods and builds upon existing community assets, rather than bulldozing or putting them at risk.
The Food Desert Crisis and Neighborhood Exploitation
The discussion shifted to the glaring issue of food deserts, the lack of fresh produce, and the proliferation of smoke and vape shops in East Greensboro, which many see as symptomatic of systemic neglect and exploitation.
Robbie Perkins (Former Mayor) proposed that the city could help address the lack of fresh produce by encouraging stores like Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar, which he noted are unevenly distributed across the city, to begin selling it. This suggestion was met with visibly negative reactions from the audience, with one person reportedly commenting on Perkins’ solution, “Man, he’s lost in the sauce,” implying the idea was out of touch with the community’s real needs.
District 5 Incumbent Tammi Thurm addressed the saturation of vape and smoke shops, stating she believes the high number of these stores in East Greensboro is due to people “taking advantage of others.” She noted the limitations of council intervention, explaining that if a shop is within existing zoning regulations, the owners are not required to come before the city council for approval.
A Call for Historical Acknowledgment and Reparative Justice
At-Large candidate Irving Allen delivered one of the most poignant moments of the summit, pivoting the conversation from current issues to the need for a deep, systemic reassessment of the city’s past.
Allen urged the city to look at the “entire history of Greensboro” to genuinely assess and acknowledge the intentional actions—such as redlining, industrial placement and neglect—that have historically “harmed certain sections of town.” His powerful suggestion was that the first step to achieving true equity is to “acknowledge it” and only then can the city begin the reparative work necessary to “bring everyone forward.”
At-Large incumbent Jamilla Pinder echoed the need for action over rhetoric, emphasizing her commitment to ensuring new development contracts include specific provisions for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) and that the city expands access from a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. mode to more accessible hours so small business can be connected to resources such as bonding, accounting and insurance information during times more convenient to business owners who may be sole proprietors.
Candidates for the district seats articulated specific strategies focused on equity, accountability, and quality of life.
District 1 Incumbent Sharon Hightower, who has been a longtime advocate for housing and community development in her district, said it’s important to build relationships with large and small developers and that the city must have responsible growth and make sure that tax dollars benefit everyone and not just one side of town.
District 1 challenger Crystal Black, a community advocate and educator, called for greater accountability from city representatives to reject the concentration of poverty often found in East Greensboro. She argued, “affordable housing all has to be a balanced mix.”
District 2 Candidate Cecile Crawford focused on structural economic change and housing, focusing on the need to examine where money is being spent effectively. She said it’s important to track where people are in the housing crisis and have programs in place to work with people at risk of eviction or homelessness.
District 4 Candidate Adam Marshall focused on the critical shortage of housing, stating that the city has a shortage of more than 30,000 dwellings. He emphasized reducing red tape for development while supporting public safety. He added that sustainable, diverse neighborhoods will be key to Greensboro’s future.
District 5 Incumbent Tammi Thurm highlighted her commitment to addressing equity and acknowledged that within District 5, there exists extreme wealth and extreme poverty.
Early voting is now open and ends Saturday, November 1, at 3 p.m. The Municipal Election will take place on Tuesday, November 4. Polls will be open from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
