Draft:Cyril Jefferson

• Comment: Does not meet the notability guidelines for politicians which for mayor would usually require national or international coverage. Other sources are primary which includes interviews/what Jefferson says and others are routine political coverage. S0091 (talk) 16:13, 4 August 2024 (UTC)

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Cyril Jefferson (born April 9, 1992) is an American Businessman and Politician who is the 38th and current Mayor of High Point, North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Jefferson won the November 2023 election for mayor and was sworn in on December 4, 2023 as the first Black man to serve in the position in the city's history. He previously served as a member of the High Point City Council, elected in November 2019 to represent the residents of High Point's 1st Ward. He is also the Founder & Principal of Change Often-Social Innovation Firm.

Early Life and Education

Jefferson was born in Utica, New York and moved to the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina where he attended T.W. Andrews High School in High Point, North Carolina. He studied at Howard University and High Point University before graduating from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. Jefferson's post-graduate studies include the Hunt State Policy Fellows program offered by the Hunt Institute—an Affiliate of Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy—and the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative—a program of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University.

Career

Early Career

Prior to founding Change Often or beginning a career in politics, Jefferson worked in various roles within the education and nonprofit sectors. Jefferson's teaching career includes spending 7 years on staff with the band program at his alma mater, T.W. Andrews High School, where he taught the drumline and led fundraising efforts for the band boosters, working as an Adjunct Instructor for Adult Education at Guilford Technical Community College, and supporting the local Guilford County Schools district as a Substitute Teacher. His work for the local Communities In Schools affiliate includes being an operations intern, youth development contractor, and student support specialist (site coordinator).

Social Innovation Consultant

Since founding the company in 2018, Jefferson leads the Firm's Innovation BrainTrust in solving social and economic challenges through collaborative solutions and comprehensive capacity building services. Working in spaces where the bottom line prioritizes "lives saved over dollars made," the Change Often team helps bring to life the ideas that impact our world for the good and has partnered to invest more than $22M in impact initiatives for causes related to small business support, poverty alleviation, and education. Most notably, Jefferson's team spearheaded the creation of Thrive High Point—a minority entrepreneurship—which has supported more than 600 entrepreneurs and invested a quarter-million dollars in micro grants for program participants. Several community leaders credit the Change Often team for being able to design and implement successful impact solutions.

Politics & Public Office

Since being elected to public office, Jefferson has worked on issues that are important to the revitalization of High Point.

As City Councilman

As a city council member (December 2019 to November 2023), Jefferson helped bring the Carolina Core FC soccer team to the region, attracting millions in private investment. He led fundraising efforts to renovate Jazz Legend John Coltrane's childhood home which resides in the Ward One area of High Point. He championed DEI-related reforms within City Hall, resulting in fairer hiring practices, leadership development for employees of color, and expanded supplier diversity efforts. Additionally, he proposed a rebranding effort that shifted the city's focus toward equity, engagement, and leveraging its arts and design legacy to bolster economic development.

2023 Mayoral Campaign

Jefferson announced his run for High Point mayor in November 2022. In the primary election, held on October 10, 2023, Jefferson emerged as the top vote-getter, securing 49% of the vote, setting him up for a general election competition with fellow city council member, Victor Jones, who received 34% of the primary election vote. The two candidates faced off in the general election, held on November 7, 2023, and Jefferson emerged victorious, winning with nearly a 12-point margin as he secured 55.6% of the vote. Upon swearing in, Jefferson would become the youngest mayor of High Point in the modern era, if not ever, and the second Black mayor in the city's history, following Bernita Sims, who was elected in 2012.

Jefferson’s plan for the beginning of his term was to prioritize a focus “on job growth, improving housing options, and helping the community unite around common goals.”

Platform

As a candidate for Mayor, Jefferson's platform focused on prosperity, livability, and safety. He aimed to raise funds for programs benefiting entrepreneurs and collaborating with the Economic Development Corporation to attract companies, contributing to North Carolina's top ranking in job growth. Efforts in workforce development were designed to address labor shortages and prepare for future needs.

To enhance livability, Jefferson prioritized investments in "Complete Streets" for safe mobility, expanded public transportation, and ensured adequate, quality housing that supported fair housing policies. Infrastructure improvements were planned to reduce urban sprawl and meet public safety needs.

For safety, he supported education, youth mentorship, gang intervention, workforce development, and mental health initiatives. Strategies to remove illegal guns were intended to decrease violent crime. Collaboration with the High Point Police Department focused on community engagement and culturally-sensitive de-escalation methods, improving relationships between law enforcement and neighborhoods.

As Mayor

During his tenure, Mayor Jefferson has led efforts to bolster transparency and engagement in local government by improving public meeting access through live video streaming. The City has also completed its 2045 Comprehensive Plan to guide future development with a focus on equitable neighborhood revitalization and sustainability. After being defeated under the previous administration, Mayor Jefferson worked with the rest of the High Point City Council to adopt a fair housing ordinance to combat housing discrimination. Under Jefferson's leadership, the National Civic League has named the City of High Point a 2024 All-America City Award winner due to "transformative, community-driven efforts to strengthen democracy through local action and innovation, showcasing the strength of its civic infrastructure – the network of relationships, partnerships and capacities driving effective decision-making and problem-solving." Mayor Jefferson's involvement in national advocacy organizations such as the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger and Mayors Against Illegal Guns underscores his commitment to addressing broader social issues.

Personal Life

Mayor Jefferson is married to his wife, Raven. They have two sons, Cyril II and Royce.