It’s election season, and that means you’re hearing lots of things on TV and in our local community – not all of it true. Instead of spreading more of it or trying to have a debate, I’d like to offer something different. The truth.
My name is Jerome Smith Sr. As someone actively working to improve my community, I know it sometimes seems like there are too few people who care.
Whether it’s murders, drop-out rates, or drug addiction, the place we call home is one of the most challenging cities in America, and there isn’t a lot of sunshine.
Yet, it is in the middle of these struggles that I’ve been able to gain an unexpected friend and partner in helping take on some of our community’s greatest challenges. That friend is U.S. Senator Ron Johnson.
After several conversations, Ron Johnson, myself, and some of his staff partnered together to construct a plan around this new idea. The Joseph Project is an initiative to connect people in our community with good-paying jobs.
The initiative consists of classes that break cycles of poverty by finding opportunities for members of our community and teaching them skills they need to succeed, including team work, time management, financial management, spiritual fitness, stress management, and conflict resolution.
Friends, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. My friend Ron Johnson cares about our state, our city, and our community.
He cares because he wants people in Wisconsin to find jobs – no matter who they are. I’m not someone who simply supports Democrats or Republicans because of their label. Rather, I support those who support our community, and Ron supports our community.
Jerome Smith Sr.