Friday, November 11, 2011

Councilmember Jolanda Jones In Political Survivor: Houston

I've mentioned a few times in various posts about my UH classmate and current at large city councilwoman and attorney Jolanda Jones. 

And if the name sounds familiar to some of you, yep she was on the CBS show 'Survivor'.  And oh yeah, Councilwoman Jones, before I forget, happy belated birthday!   It was two days before the November 8 election.

She campaigned four years ago on the promise to serve as "the voice of the voiceless" at City Hall.and she has more than fulfilled it.

She is a standup ally to those of us in the Houston rainbow community, a warrior for the African American community and our issues, and for downtrodden citizens who will speak truth in council meetings, demand more info on proposed policies and tell it like it T-I-S is.

She also gets things done. Councilmember Jones was instrumental in getting Covenant House Houston to evolve and change their transphobic ways and was one of the people fighting for us when the bathroom issue reared its ugly head at City Hall.  



That doesn't make her well liked amongst elements of the powers that be, the local media, one of the police and firefighter's unions and the conservabigots who compare her to another African-American politician they hate with a passion in Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee.(D-TX)

Over the last two cycles she's drawn multiple challengers, and a barrage of complaints filed by the Office of Inspector General that turn out to be baseless.

Despite her haters, she has much love in the Houston African-American community and the social justice one as well.  She continues to pile up  endorsements including the Houston Chronicle one, gets to the runoff by polling the most votes on Election Day, then pulls it out in the runoff election the next month.

Well, she's in another runoff election for her third and final term in a December 10 rematch against chiropractor Jack Christie who she defeated two years ago to get her second term.

Best of luck Councilmember Jones in the upcoming runoff election and may you get to serve us for two more years on Houston city council.

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