Last week, Mayor Ras Baraka hosted his 11th Annual State of the City Address for Newark. The night began with video highlights of the Mayor and the community before he began his speech. At the beginning, he recognized the news that the Supreme Court would hear an oral argument that would allow the federal administration to deport people born in the United States, undermining the 14th Amendment. The address lasted about an hour, acknowledging the power of God, covering the accomplishments of the year, the woes and challenges the community has faced since the time of their ancestors, and the current horrific actions of the federal administration. Some common themes and statistics were echoed throughout the speech, including the following:

Housing in Newark

• A drop of 57.6% in homelessness. (Although this statistic is dated to 2023) 
• New affordable housing units are expanding in the city. 
• New programs to help more people become homeowners. 

Development and Industry 

• Billions of dollars for development are flowing through Newark, including affordable housing and 3 large towers being built.
• Mayor Baraka mentioned twice the Forbes article highlighting Newark’s growing number of tech companies: “Is Newark the Next Silicon Valley?”
• Art is bringing money to Newark. New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Lionsgate are expected to welcome $1 billion in economic revenue to the city.

Youth of Newark

• Mayor Baraka highlighted student accomplishments, including Angel Ortiz, who has been accepted to all the Ivy League colleges. 
• It was noted that young people have voted in school board elections for the first time in city and state history. While there is criticism around the number of young people who cast a vote, it was applauded that the ratio of young voter turnout was higher than that of adults. Mayor Baraka urged that more must be done to keep young people civically engaged and make voting more accessible, such as having ballot boxes available during lunch instead of after school. 
• The Newark EMS Program gives students a direct pipeline to healthcare by providing students a path to graduate debt-free. 

Public Safety and Lower Crime Rates

• Video showcased the statistic that Newark saw the lowest violent crime rate in 64 years.
• Through the Office of Violence Prevention, the City of Newark expanded a safe passageway to school and built a new community center in the West Ward.
• A youth curfew was implemented in Newark. 

Mayor Baraka mentioned environmental improvements and green energy initiatives. He celebrated the lead water testing in Newark being 0 parts per billion, and how this achievement is showcased in the CDC Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. Baraka highlighted this as an example of health being a human right and emphasized that Newark took a huge issue, like the lead crisis, and solved it. Baraka also spoke about the green structure and rain guard that were built to reduce flooding and lower the heat index, including a tree canopy to protect vulnerable neighborhoods. However, no mention was made of the proposed power plant that would increase pollution in the Ironbound neighborhood, an already environmentally overburdened section of the city. Baraka did not name any plans to address community concerns and protests relating to the power plant.

Mayor Baraka kept the crowd engaged and excited throughout the night by singing old hymns, sharing stories, and recognizing community members. He notably ended his speech by mentioning his campaign for governor and repeating “we’re going to win!” You can watch the full address here. 

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