5 Things I Learned From My Conversation with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

I had the distinguished privilege of talking to the Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka about the City of Newark and its progress since the last Tech Town Hall in 2015. This was an annual event hosted by the good folks at Equal Space who since 2015 have gracefully moved into the gorgeous creative space in 2 Gateway Center. I couldn’t be more happy to see this company expand into that prime real estate!
At 6PM on that evening I paced and drank as much of the VIP wine that was available without getting ahead of myself. I was incredibly nervous because this was a very new platform for me. I embraced the graciousness of the CIO, Seth Weiner, who briefed me on how personable the Mayor was (and truly is) was everything I needed.
You’ve got to imagine the scene and the history behind it for it to make more sense. I remember watching Tech Town Hall 1.0 as a member of the audience around the same last year. And now, I was front and center amongst some of the most respected people within the city. I said to Mayor Baraka, “this interview can go one of two ways — I can go real ‘Oprah’ with it or real ‘Brooklyn’ because that’s where I’m from.
When we got on stage, he used that to his advantage and said “it’s ok I’m from Newark” as a claim to his personable nature and to hint at the ever so slight rivalry between NYC and the Garden State’s largest city. That moment immediately got me to a place where I could be comfortable on the new platform I was on. Conversing with the Chief Officer of the city about developing small businesses through tech. A platform I can honestly, truly relate to.
I’ve seen many businesses come through the door of 1 Washington Place where I work at Rutgers Business School in the entrepreneurship division. It’s also the home of Audible and Newark Venture Partners. It’s the HUB of where businesses and ventures are born. I’m so eager to share with these folks the five things I learned from this platform with the Mayor.
The 5 things I Learned From My Conversation with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka:
- Mayor Baraka highlighted this idea that in order for the city to create a bustling tech scene, the people have to be bustling over tech. While not everyone will be involved as a founder or a developer, everyone can have a place in the tech ecosystem. This is so true and so important as it relates to the work I do with Normel Solutions. Tech enabling business who aren’t particularly tech savvy is one of the many keys that will make Newark a heaping success.
- The MyNewark app, which Mayor Baraka spoke about launching last year, is an example of what good civic tech looks like. After my talk, I downloaded it and used it to report a broken stop light on Washington Street in North Ward Newark. It also collects information about anything that may be happening in the city that needs attention (think — potholes, excessive garbage, crime).
- When asked about what the city needs more of related to tech, he said civic engagement around crime in our city. Unfortunately Newark’s claim to fame to date has been widely centered around crime, drugs (Brick City) and car theft. But the Mayor is looking forward to promoting it’s citizens in a way that helps his team engage, protect and serve the city we live in.
- The New York bubble is going to burst. I say this lovingly as I am a Brooklyn girl to my core. When it does, Newark is going to be the soft place to land with incubators springing up left and right (see: Newark Venture Parters, IDT Ventures, Fownders et.al)
- The stage has been set here in Newark. We had some of the best Tech Titans from Lindsey Holmes who live streamed the event to Anthony Frasier who spoke about his book — “Don’t Dumb Down Your Greatness” a guide to thinking and living great.
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