Written By JR Robinson

Across America, voters are increasingly dissatisfied with candidates who tout recycled talking points but deliver little substance once elected. Nowhere is this frustration more acute than in Memphis and Shelby County, communities rich in history but often lacking in visionary leadership. As New York’s new mayor Zohran Mamdani brings transformative policies and unapologetic advocacy to the forefront, the question for Memphis is clear: Why doesn’t our local leadership stand for something real? What could happen if they did?

Memphis: The Status Quo and the Crisis of Ambition

Memphis is a city at a crossroads. The issues—rising costs, entrenched poverty, housing shortages, crime, and failing infrastructure—are not new. The talking points, from promises of safer streets to pledges of educational investment, have been recycled in every mayoral race for decades, and the candidates defending the status quo typically have long tenures with unclear records of change.

Locals increasingly ask, “How do you run for office claiming you’ll do a better job for the county when you’ve already been in office, and little has improved?” This cynicism is compounded by the spectacle of crowded races (sometimes with 17 candidates), no meaningful runoffs, and confusing party or nonpartisan affiliations.

Meanwhile, ousted leaders like Dr. Marie Feagins—the firebrand former Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent—demonstrate both the risks and potential of bold leadership. Feagins, dismissed after an internal board conflict, embodied what it means to bring savvy, principle, and new ideas to the table but also the systemic resistance those who challenge the status quo routinely face.

Enter Zohran Mamdani: What Does Leadership That Stands For Something Look Like?

Mamdani’s victory in New York City offers a refreshing contrast to Memphis’s malaise. Young, energetic, and unapologetically principled, Mamdani ran not simply to manage city government but to transform it. His campaign went far beyond platitudes: Mamdani put forward concrete, ambitious policies, explained how they would work, and built a diverse grassroots coalition determined to hold him accountable.

Key principles of Mamdani’s approach include:

• Affordability as a human right (rent freezes, free buses, accessible child care)
• Public investment in health, wellness, and safety—not just policing, but mental health and youth outreach
• Meaningful community participation and transparency
• Willingness to challenge entrenched interests—even opposing billionaires and party elites—to put voters first

How Shelby County Could Benefit From Mamdani’s Policies

What if Memphis and Shelby County adapted Mamdani-style leadership?

1. Tackling Affordability: Housing, Transit, and Everyday Costs

• Rent Freezes & Affordable Housing: Like NYC, Memphis faces a rental affordability crisis, with many families spending half their income on rent. Adopting policies to freeze rents in select buildings—especially those bought with public support—and investing in new affordable housing could immediately ease local economic anxieties.
• Free or Subsidized Transit: Memphis’s mass transit system is chronically underfunded and unreliable. Making buses free (or at least more affordable), as Mamdani proposes for NYC, would boost access to jobs, healthcare, and education, especially for those in low-income neighborhoods.
• Universal Child Care: Economic mobility starts with supporting working families. A city- or county-backed universal child care model would transform opportunity across Shelby County, reducing barriers for single parents and low-wage workers.

2. Redefining Public Safety

• Beyond Policing: Shelby County spends a disproportionate amount on policing but underfunds alternative responses like mental health outreach, violence interruption, and youth programs. Mamdani’s $1.1B plan to move funding from traditional law enforcement to prevention has helped NYC build coalitions for safer, more accountable neighborhoods.
• Community-Led Solutions: Engaging local leaders—like those who stood with Dr. Feagins, or activists challenging environmental and criminal justice injustices—helps incubate homegrown safety programs rather than simply importing national models.

3. Creating A Culture of Accountability

• Transparency: From Education Board turmoil to City Council gridlock, Memphis suffers when decision-making is hidden or manipulated. Mamdani-style leadership demands public meetings, clear policy agendas, and accountability for progress or lack thereof.
• Standing Up to Special Interests: Whether it’s real estate developers, lobbyists, or billionaire donors, Shelby County’s leaders should prioritize community needs, not elite profit. Mamdani’s resistance to compromising his agenda for insider access offers a blueprint.

4. Diversity and Representation

Mamdani’s historic win as the first Muslim, South Asian, and African-born mayor reflects the value of true diversity, not just token representation. Memphis—majority Black and richly multicultural—deserves leaders who see their own lived experience reflected in policy priorities and public investment.

5. Grassroots Engagement

• Building Coalitions: Mamdani’s success was built from the ground up, connecting young voters, immigrants, the working class, and longtime New Yorkers. In Memphis, supporting and scaling up activism—from environmental campaigns to education reform and criminal justice—is key to unlocking lasting change.

No debate about bold reform is complete without dissent, and it plays out in real time on social media. Take, for example, this recent exchange:

Joseph S. Ozment: “He doesn’t have solutions. He has dreams. Those are good to have as long as you’re realistic. He does not have the ability to deliver what he wants. I believe that would be a fact, but we will see. Delivering utopia is a tough one. But definitely one of the best places to find a sucker that will vote for such promises is to do it in one of the highest cost cities in the world.”

This skepticism echoes the worries of countless voters in Memphis and Shelby County—hesitant to believe that big dreams can translate into tangible progress, especially in communities facing years of broken promises.

But what if the conversation changed? Here’s one possible response, reflecting the spirit that fuels movements like Mamdani’s and what Shelby needs right now:

JR Robinson: “Every solution started as a dream! Then it became a goal, and for the people willing to put in the work it becomes an accomplishment. But I can see why the hate. How dare he dream of a better city? He should only be fighting for the rich! Then he would be a great man. Get him out of office trying to do good.”

This exchange crystallizes the deeper argument in Memphis politics. Do we dismiss bold ideas as “impossible,” or do we dare to dream big and demand action, even at the risk of failure? Mamdani’s campaign—and every visionary leader, from Dr. Marie Feagins to local advocates—reminds us that change always starts with a dream. The next step is rallying community support to make it real.

The Real Issue: Bringing Something New to the Table

Memphis’s biggest problem may not only be bad policies, but the absence of real ideas and leadership. Most election cycles are dominated by the appearance of change rather than substantive proposals.

To break the cycle:

• Demand clarity: Candidates must show exactly what they will do and how it will be done.
• Expose records: Incumbents need to account for their past terms—what did they actually change, champion, or risk to improve Memphis?
• Celebrate Courage: Shelby County needs leaders willing to stand up, challenge the past, and fight for bold new priorities—whether that’s education overhauls, racial justice, environmental protections, or economic equity.

Dr. Feagins embodied the spirit of standing for something, shaking up the district with reforms in student equity, extracurricular access, and police accountability in schools. Her ouster underscores how threats to the status quo meet resistance—especially from entrenched board members and hidden processes.

Yet, Feagins’s work proves that impact requires both courage and resilience. Her efforts—now continued through lawsuits and advocacy—are a reminder that Memphis must nurture and support leaders who risk their careers to fight for children, families, and justice.

How Should Memphis’s Candidates Run for Office Now?

If a candidate as bold as Mamdani ran for office here, the approach would be profoundly different:

• Refuse empty slogans: Don’t promise “safer streets” without plans; don’t tout education reform with no specifics.
• Practice radical transparency: Lay out your policies, finances, and alignments publicly; invite scrutiny.
• Build real coalitions: Bring marginalized, unrepresented voices to the table, from grassroots activists to the mothers impacted by crime and failing schools.
• Anticipate resistance: The path to lasting change will mean confrontation with powerful interests—be ready and communicate openly.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Memphis does not have to settle for candidates who “stand for nothing.” The city’s history is rich with civil rights, toil, and activism. Today, with inspiration from leaders like Mamdani and Feagins, Shelby County has the chance to redefine its future.

Change will require:

• Champions with backbone, not just ambition.
• Policy grounded in lived experience and real research.
• The courage to run campaigns that challenge power, not reinforce it.

Wrap Up!

The real test for Memphis and Shelby County is not in the cleverness of political slogans, but in the substance and resolve behind them. Electing someone who “stands for something”—with concrete plans for housing, safety, equity, and justice—would transform local politics. As Zohran Mamdani has proven, leadership is not about avoiding controversy—it’s about embracing conviction.

Memphis can step into its own story by demanding, supporting, and electing leaders willing to risk everything to bring real change to the table. The moment calls for vision and heart. The next chapter is waiting to be written.