By Darla Shelden, Metropolis Sentinel Reporter —
OKLAHOMA CITY – Lifelong Oklahoma Metropolis resident, Jimmy Lawson has introduced he’s operating for Mayor of Oklahoma Metropolis.
A product and supporter of Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges, Jimmy graduated from John Marshall Excessive Faculty within the high 10 percentof his class with a 3.90 GPA. He has all the time believed that training can open doorways of alternative.
Jimmy excelled academically by incomes his Bachelor’s diploma in Finance and his Grasp’s diploma in Enterprise Administration fromOklahoma Metropolis College.
A registered Democrat, Jimmy’s ardour to serve others and assist them to stay a greater life is why he has declared his candidacy for Oklahoma Metropolis’s Mayor.
He has served the residents of Oklahoma Metropolis for greater than 20 years with a concentrate on the wrongfully convicted, feeding the homeless, and mentoring youth.
His father, an ex-Marine and Pastor, instilled in him that giving up was by no means an choice in his family. Rising up, Jimmy had the primary basketball purpose in his neighborhood. Jimmy says his father and basketball coach taught him to be aggressive and fearless whereas being honest.
Jimmy’s dedication to training and basketball motivated him to pursue a university training. His work ethic and dedication allowed him to proceed to excel in each areas.
Amongst his accomplishments on the basketball court docket, Jimmy obtained a NCAA Division 1 basketball scholarship to Grambling State College in 1998. Throughout his first season, he earned the Southwestern Athletic Convention Freshman of the Yr honor. He continued his basketball profession at Oklahoma Metropolis College.
Lawson was named Professor of the Yr in 2013 on the College of Phoenix and Adjunct Professor of the Yr for the Faculty of Enterprise at Rose State School in 2019 – the primary African-American to obtain this honor.
Jimmy is the Director of Allowing Companies on the Oklahoma Staff’ Compensation Fee and a professor at Rose State School, the place he teaches finance and financial programs. His vitality, talents, and persona have made him productive and adaptive in any atmosphere.
Throughout his life Jimmy’s actions have demonstrated that placing individuals first isn’t just a slogan, however relatively a way of life for him. He’s a fierce advocate and voice within the Oklahoma Metropolis neighborhood, bringing hope to the underprivileged. He’ll broaden and proceed that effort as mayor.
He’s the lifelong greatest good friend and advocate for Julius Jones, who graduated with Jimmy, each within the high 10 per cent of their class. Jimmy believes that Jones, now on Oklahoma’s loss of life row, was wrongfully convicted of capital homicide.
Jimmy is featured within the ABC documentary “The Final Protection,” which exams the Jones’ case,and isexecutive produced by Academy Award successful actress Viola Davis. Jimmy’s compassion and pursuit of justice for Julius has earned him respect and recognition statewide and past. Jimmy continues to talk out publicly and struggle for Jones’ commutation by the Pardon and Parole board and Governor Kevin Stitt.
His ardour to serve the much less lucky is demonstrated by his years of feeding the homeless in Downtown Oklahoma Metropolis by way of NewPoint Church’s homeless outreach ministry. For the final 3 years, Jimmy has hosted an annual Christmas Toy Drive for underprivileged youth in honor of Julius Jones. Jimmy has donated time and toys to quite a few organizations equivalent to Jordan’s Crossings, Youngsters’s Hospital, and households in marginalized communities.
Jimmy is the founding father of the John Marshall Impression Group, a neighborhood accomplice with Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges. The group supplies mentoring and life expertise to college students at John Marshall Excessive Faculty and Center Faculty – “altering the trajectory of the subsequent era one pupil at a time,” he says.
In 2019, Jimmy created a university scholarship fund for John Marshall Excessive Faculty graduating seniors in honor of his late father, Bishop Lawson Sr. Every year the scholarship committee critiques functions and selects a senior to obtain a $1,000 school scholarship.
Jimmy says he’s a dwelling testimony of the ability of training and feels from the mayoral platform he shall be even higher outfitted to pay it ahead to the subsequent era.
“My imaginative and prescient for OKC is to offer entry to assets and applications for all individuals, with out limitations,” Lawson stated. “Eliminating homelessness, offering our youth with wrap round providers, and creating fairness in our legal justice system are all crucial to ensure that Oklahoma Metropolis to succeed in optimum development and maximization. I imagine we are able to problem the established order and shift the paradigm for generations to come back.”
If elected, Lawson can be the primary African-American Mayor in Oklahoma Metropolis’s historical past
Jimmy and his spouse Tamara have been married for 17 years and have three daughters; ages 20, 15, and 13. Jimmy says he loves “pouring into his kids” and main by instance. He has coached his daughters in basketball and continues to take action for the youthful two by way of his Burner U Basketball group.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Mayoral major is scheduled for February 8, 2023. To be taught extra about Jimmy, go to lawsonforokc.com.
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