Written By JR Robinson

LaGina Mitchell-Scott, known to many as "Gina," isn't just running for office; she’s running for the future of her two granddaughters. A realtor, educator, and nonprofit leader, Mitchell-Scott believes Shelby County has reached a breaking point where "hands must be changed" to restore safety and prosperity to Memphis.

Her platform is built on three interconnected priorities: Public Safety, Education, and Economic Workforce Development. "They all coincide," Mitchell-Scott explains. "If we don’t have productive citizens, we’ll continue to have crime. If we don’t have businesses that stay, we won’t have the jobs that allow families to thrive."

As a realtor, she sees the direct impact of the economy on the home. She is a staunch advocate for affordable housing and holding corporations accountable. She points to the departure of giants like IKEA and Electrolux as a failure of leadership to conduct "exit interviews" and address the root causes of why businesses leave. "If I’m offering you something to come here, I’m expecting something from you," she says, emphasizing that tax incentives must result in long-term community investment.

On education, Mitchell-Scott calls for absolute accountability. With 76% of students reading below grade level, she rejects the "politics of sides" between the school board and state intervention. Instead, she proposes a collaborative approach where the Commission, the School Board, and the Superintendent work in sequence, not in silos. "It takes a village for children to survive," she notes, pulling from her experience in "Project Graduation" to advocate for both college prep and career-ready vocational training.

Her first move if elected? A 90-day plan that includes sitting down with small business owners and collaborating with neighboring municipalities like Germantown and Bartlett. "We need to see what they’re doing differently," she says. "We are one county. It’s time we started acting like it."