A tale of two cities and the path forward
In 2019, Forbes Magazine looked at 1,990 cities across the United States. They ranked them by levels of income inequality. The top 10 consisted of seven cities across the South with Shreveport placing eighth overall and 17th in the acceleration of income inequality over the past decade.
When you map Shreveport's median household income, the only tracts averaging more than $82,000 a year are south of I-20 and east of I-49. With the exceptions of Highland and Stoner Hill, the only tracts with a median household income below $24,000 a year are west of I-49 and north of I-20. The map does not change when the query changes from household income to racial demographics. African-Americans predominantly live in the most impoverished parts of town. Shreveport is split by interstates along racial and economic lines.
I recently spoke at The State of Black Shreveport, an annual event that brings local leaders together to discuss challenges facing the African-American community. The State of Black Shreveport is not an attempt to separate black and white Shreveport. This event emerged from the divisions described above, as a way of highlighting historical and current issues during Black History Month.
In my speech, I said, "Shreveport is a minority-majority city, but all of the wealth and resources are south of I-20 and east of I-49. We have to change that. We need a more equitable distribution of resources." These remarks are grounded in facts; those facts carry a moral imperative to act; and action is the only thing that can solve this problem and bring our city together.
I am not talking about a redistribution of wealth, as some have suggested. I am talking about building an economy that works for all of Shreveport — an economy that equitably distributes resources and opportunity. I am talking about curing Shreveport's “other side of the tracks” syndrome. But this goal will remain out of reach so long as we are incapable of having honest, and sometimes uncomfortable, conversations about race.
Shreveport is a deeply divided city. Our churches, neighborhoods, and yes, even our politics are segregated. FiveThirtyEight, the esteemed ABC News polling site, ranks Shreveport the fifth most partisan city in America. And where do Republicans and Democrats live? You guessed it. The maps illustrating Shreveport's economic and racial divides are interchangeable with the map outlining our political divide, which makes race and party seem like distinctions without a difference. Voters elect leaders to represent
Voters elect leaders to represent their interests, and often their interests are organized around identity. The overlap of racial and partisan identity exacerbates the division because it makes politics feel personal. For example, efforts to rewrite the city charter or strip power from the mayor's office aren't seen as Republican initiatives in the African American community. They are perceived as attempts to devalue an office that Republicans can no longer win. Similarly, when Democrats fight to repeal ordinances that outlaw sagging pants, Republicans see an affront to conservative values, not a fight against discrimination.
Identity is at the center of our politics, and Shreveport's racial geography makes governing more difficult. The city council is comprised of seven members, each representing a particular district, most of which are monolithic communities. The city council embodies the economic, racial and political division that has characterized Shreveport for decades. Therefore, it should come as no surprise when attempts to legislate lead to identity clashes, rather than compromise.
No one currently serving on the city council is responsible for the economic, racial or political silos in which we live, and neither am I. But we were elected to solve problems and move our city forward, so it is incumbent upon us to work together to bridge the divide and unite our city. My administration is working to fuel
My administration is working to fuel economic growth across the city, and I want to do that alongside my Council colleagues. I want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in the fight to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer. I want to work with them on projects in their districts that improve quality of life for their constituents.
We might not agree on everything, but disagreements do not have to end in gridlock. They are an opportunity to compromise. The only way forward is to look past our differences and find common ground. We bring Shreveport together when we find a way to work together.