Ebony magazine profiles District 6 candidate

Dear Editor:

It goes without saying that the local election scene in St. Petersburg is one of much interest as a result of two candidates who entered the race early March of this year with a platform based on reparations to the black community — Eritha ‘Akile’ Cainion for District 6 City Council and Jesse Nevel for Mayor.

As a result of these bold, radical, revolutionary candidacies, Cainion was interviewed by the legendary black publication Ebony magazine!

The interview appears in the July/August issue that hit the stands last week.

The article highlights Cainion as a “Millennial of Change” and details why she is running as well as what it is we need to see in the City of St. Pete.

This appearance in Ebony brings us to a greater point: there’s a 20-year-old black woman in the South that’s running for political office on a platform of reparations to the black community alongside a white man whose message is unity through reparations against the status quo and big money candidates like Rick Baker and Rick Kriseman.

Our city has made headline after headline in regards to these two campaigns being waged to unite this city around a progressive platform of unity through justice in the form of reparations to the black community.

In fact, it’s Akile and Jesse that give life to this entire election, as it brings the masses of people into political life to go against a status quo based on the oppression of the black community and the corruption of big money.

The reason there’s participation at every forum, the reason the interests of the poor and working-class black community are taking center stage, the reason a mayoral candidate like Paul Congemi can say to black people “go back to Africa” is as a result of these amazing candidates.

These candidates who aren’t afraid to break the traditional decorum to make sure the stifled, unanticipated voices in this election can be heard.

There are radical candidacies in the South during the era of Trump that are fighting for justice, black economic development, an end to police violence, an end to gentrification, an end to rigged elections, to unite this divided city and bring about prosperity for all with no one living at the expense of anybody else.

These candidacies represent a new beginning for St. Petersburg and a vision for what’s possible throughout this entire country.

And while the system is working hard to make sure these candidates can’t spread their message, (thanks to efforts of two media outlets slandering both candidates as well as excluding Nevel from the only televised debate this election) the growing people’s movement for Radical Solutions and Unity Through Reparations is gaining momentum and the world is watching.

There’s no greater testament to that than this interview with Ebony!

Pick up an issue today at your local grocery.

Visit akilefordistrict6.com and jessenevel.com to learn more about these amazing candidates.

The primary is Aug. 29.

Liu Montsho Kwayera