Republicans are perfectly comfortable with our food costs going up, our gas cost going through the roof, our housing costs becoming unaffordable, and every other cost that makes our lives harder continuing to increase, all while standing against any measures that would put more money in our pockets.

Let me say this, Donald Trump isn’t wanted in Shelby County.

It’s our responsibility to build a safer Shelby County by treating public safety as a shared, countywide responsibility, one that breaks down artificial jurisdictional lines, upholds human dignity at every stage of the justice system, and replaces cycles of harm with pathways of stability.

Safe communities are stronger communities. We need to invest in ensuring our neighbors have their basic needs met, all while providing our law enforcement officials with the resources they need to tackle issues as they arise.

How can we expect our communities to be healthy if our community members are unable to access the healthcare they need?

Access to preventative services such as annual wellness visits, screenings, immunizations, and basic chronic disease management are key to ensuring our communities stay healthy. Together, we can ensure that every community member has these services available when they need them.

Access to preventative services such as annual wellness visits, screenings, immunizations, and basic chronic disease management are key to ensuring our communities stay healthy. Together, we can ensure that every community member has these services available when they need them.

Our leaders should be doing everything they can to bring costs down, not embroiling our nation in foreign conflicts that drive up prices for working Americans. We need less expensive gas, food, housing, and more. Nothing short of that can be acceptable.

What’s a home if it isn’t affordable, safe, and stable? We have to do more than invest in housing - we need deep, community led efforts to make that housing the best it can be

Every worker deserves a wage that ensures they thrive, not just get by. Livable wages have to be the standard if we’re to uplift our communities.

An underfunded school is an underfunded future.

While others have been talking about it, I’ve actually been doing the work. When Donald Trump sent ice and the National Guard. I sued. When the republicans got rid of gun permits, I passed a gun referendum. I’ve been standing up. And now it’s time for us to stand together. Election Day: May 5

We can’t just build houses, we need to also invest in repairing and upgrading the homes that already exist. Plenty of homes around the county are in need of repairs, so why not give them the fixes they need?

Our educators shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can afford their rent next month. The pay we provide them needs to reflect their immense value and keep them focussed on our future generations, not their bills.

No child should have to go hungry. That’s why I’m fighting for both the expansion of free and reduced school lunch programs AND programs that provide after school meals to students facing hardship.

Public safety starts with leadership that backs good policing. If people don’t feel safe, they can’t thrive. Support first responders. Fund what works.

We have a crisis of outmigration among our youngest generation who feel they don’t have the incentives to stay in the places they call home. Shelby County needs to reward young professionals who return home or choose to stay in the county after completing their education.

It’s time to get ICE out of our cities.

It’s beyond time to get laser focused on closing the wealth gap and creating a ladder to economic opportunity for every citizen. We don’t have a lack of human potential, just a lack of access to the resources so many need to innovate and thrive. We can fix that.

Investing in public transit is investing in our communities. If we’re going to ensure that the places we call home are thriving and connected, we have to connect them to affordable, efficient public transit options, whether buses or light rail.

Teachers are shaping our future while struggling to pay their bills. That’s backwards. Pay them what they’re worth.

I’m working every day to protect our momentum and keep fighting for safer streets, stronger schools, and real opportunities for every family, but I need your help to get there. Donate today, link is in the first comment #dosomething #communityfirst #leadership #fundraising #actnow #momentum

Homelessness shouldn’t be something that anyone experiences in our communities. The best way to ensure it doesn’t is fighting for affordable, safe, stable housing. It’s really that simple.

No one should have to worry that a knock on their door is a federal agent ready to rip their family apart.

Memphis is lucky in that we’re already a city with a beautiful culture and deeply rooted communities. The only thing left to build is an economic plan that lifts us all up and helps us thrive in the place we call home. That’s what I’m fighting for.

“If you have Shelby County tags, you can vote for the next Shelby County Mayor on May 5th!” Policy Platform is LIVE Check out the first video that discusses the role of the Shelby County government and the role of the County Mayor. #shelbycounty #votejbsmiley #memphis #smileyformayor #policy

It’s interesting that Trump is sending ICE to blue cities like Minneapolis to terrorize its residents while his own communities go largely unscathed. Tells you a lot about his real priorities.

When the cold weather comes, many of us go inside to escape it. For unhoused members of our communities, it’s not that easy. We need resources they can access to help them get through crises and better their lives. That means warming centers, food distribution efforts, and more.

Winter weather is always a reminder of the importance of having adequate city resources ready to tackle whatever Mother Nature throws at us. I want to make sure our city and neighborhoods have the resources they need to thrive, hot or cold. That’s how we build resilient communities.

Today’s a good day to stay inside if you can help it! The roads are still covered in a lot of instances and the last thing anyone wants is to be caught out on the ice! For those of us who have to go somewhere though, stay safe!

The violence we’re witnessing in Minnesota could be happening in any other city in the country. If Trump has his way, it will be. It’s time for community leaders in every town and city to come together and do what the Trump admin won’t: hold ICE accountable and send them packing.

Honored to meet Vice President Kamala Harris during her Memphis book tour at a private reception hosted by Chairwoman Jana Swearengen Washington. Her words of encouragement on the campaign trail meant a great deal. #smileyformayor #kamala #jbsmileyjr #memphis #vpharris

Think of how much money we’d save if the National Guard and ICE deployment budgets were going into our communities instead.

As a local official, I’ve talked with countless community members about what they need from our city. The overwhelming majority cite safety, the need for good paying jobs, and a lower cost of living as being the issues they think about the most. That’s why I’m fighting for all three.

ICE invites protests because of their own bad behavior. If we want people to feel like they don’t have to take to the streets to voice their concerns, we have to get ICE off of those streets first.

We all want to feel safe in the communities we call home, but safety is more than just properly funded law enforcement. We need deep investments that uplift working people to ensure they have what they need to not only survive, but thrive.

ICE has no place in Memphis. If elected mayor of Shelby County, I will be intent on ensuring that our communities are protected from their activities and get the resources and support they need. We keep us safe.

My heart goes out to those who have been affected by the recent shooting, including the families and friends of those whose lives were taken. We shouldn’t have to go out on our streets fearing if we’ll be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis is another reminder of the harm that can be done when ICE is allowed to roam our streets without fear of accountability. It has to be made abundantly clear that ICE has no place in our cities, whether it be Minneapolis or Memphis.

Full time workers shouldn’t have to worry about whether they can afford next month’s bills. We need to ensure our city is affordable and bring costs down wherever we can, while providing livable wages to the people who call it home. That’s how you build a vibrant, stable community.

When I stood up against the National Guard on our streets, I did so knowing that we needed to ensure the streets could be safe without them. I’m looking forward to working with our law enforcement officials to build community safety plans with that goal in mind.

2025 was the hardest year of my life. I lost mentors, nephew, and my father within months. The grief came fast and hit deep. Was forced to slow down, and God carried me through loved ones. I made it to 2026 with my faith intact and my purpose clear—grateful for peace and ready for what’s next.

Happy New Year! As we step into 2026, I’m grateful for the people, the purpose, and the opportunity to keep building a stronger future together. Let’s continue to do something 💪🏾 #jbsmileyjr #shelbycounty #votejbsmiley #memphis #happynewyear

Cold fronts mean freezing conditions for the unhoused members of our community. They need support, with leaders who have actual plans to get them on their feet and out of the streets.

Even a GOP-dominated Supreme Court agrees - the National Guard shouldn’t be the ones patrolling our streets. It’s time to stop wasting resources on this needless intimidation effort.

As we continue going through winter and experiencing the cold weather that comes with it, our unhoused community members are spending their days trying to figure out how to stay warm day in and day out.

As we near the Christmas season it’s more important than ever to remember that love and community are what really make us strong. So many people are coming back to see family, coming back to the neighborhoods they grew up in, and find community with each other.

I’ve been proud to stand with unions for years, and I’m proud that they’re standing with me during this election. I know what it’s going to take for workers to win the things they deserve, and it starts with having their unions at the table working side by side with me to push the ball forward.

Our city can’t be truly safe so long as ICE is patrolling our streets looking for community members to pull out of their homes and places of work. That doesn’t make us safer, it makes us scared.

Our firefighters put their lives on the line for us daily. The least we can do is ensure they are compensated fairly and treated with dignity.