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I received a call about a month ago from Stephanie Mitchell, who asked me if I would attend a community event in West Fresno she was organizing in honor of her son, Andrew. Five years ago, Andrew was paralyzed in a senseless drive-by shooting the day after Christmas.  He was just 6 years old at the time.  I had never met his mom, Stephanie, but I came away impressed by her passion and enthusiasm for making a difference in her southwest Fresno neighborhood. The event was today and was a tremendous success.  It was an example of the effort being made by everyday people in Fresno to take back some of our most distressed neighborhoods to provide a better quality of life for residents. The Fresno Bee carried a story of a similar effort underway in Central Fresno.

A few years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Brookings Institution published a report showing that Fresno has the highest level of concentrated poverty of any large city in the United States.  We all recognize that Fresno’s poverty rates are high, but this report really drives home the severity of the situation.  As Mayor, I will take the actions necessary to provide safe, quality neighborhoods throughout our city. Of course, City Hall can't do it alone. It takes neighborhood leaders, like Stephanie Mitchell, along with people of faith, schools, private businesses, and public agencies working together. The commitment of people like Stephanie and Andrew Mitchell gives me great optimism that we can be successful.