In an editorial, Jersey City council-at-large candidate Michael Griffin gives his perspective on how investing in the city’s children will shape the future.
When I was growing up, the places that shaped me weren’t fancy. The place where I learned how to be a civic leader was a neighborhood bar, Moore’s.
There were neighborhood block parties and community events led by local leaders. We looked out for each other, kept our kids out of trouble, and built a community. It’s how I learned that education doesn’t just happen in the classroom.
After-school programs, and a community that looks out for the total well-being of their children, creates a new generation of leaders.
That’s why I raised my own family in Jersey City. But the opportunities I had for after-school enrichment, and the fabric tying our communities together, are fraying.
Families that used to be the faces of the whole block are now moving away because of unaffordability. Our after-school programs are limited and expensive. Summer jobs for our kids are even scarcer.
That’s why I’m running for City Council at-Large. Every student in this city deserves access to after-school and summer enrichment, mentorships, and job training — and I’m running with James Solomon to get it done.
James’s education plan adds 1,000 new youth employment and training slots citywide.
Together, we’ll expand programs like YouthWorks and partner with local businesses, unions, nonprofits and the city to create internships, apprenticeships, and summer jobs.
These jobs will build the kind of life skills that college-age interns look for, while tapping into the city’s need for youth civic engagement. That’s how you prepare young people for the workforce — through real opportunities that pay and teach skills.
Together, we will also focus on expanding affordable after-school and summer programs, so every family can find something that fits their child’s needs.
We can make Jersey City a leader in enrichment programming by connecting schools, libraries, and community centers. And we can expand and promote existing programs, like the free summer learning program at the Jersey City Free Public Library.
I know what it takes to get things like this done. When the city failed to deliver affordable housing on Monticello, I organized my neighbors and got the job finished — 55% affordable units that are keeping people in their homes.
When McGinley Square needed safer streets, I helped secure $1.3 million to install protected bike lanes and pedestrian crossings. I did that work before I ever ran for office, because our community deserved it.
I know that we can deliver exactly what our children need because I have the political will to get it done. And James Solomon has that same ethic.
He’s proven he can deliver for this city, not with big donors or developer money, but with collaboration and integrity.
That’s why I’m proud to run alongside him. Because when we say we’re going to create 1,000 jobs for our youth, expand after-school programs, and build Jersey City’s first rec center, we mean it.
I came up in a community that believed in its kids — that gave me the tools to lead, to serve, and to fight for something better. Every child in Jersey City deserves that same chance. Let’s give it to them.
