For about 5 years now we have gone to every court possible asking for the permission to let me somehow help any homeless people that can't find their way into a shelter or a house.
We have been denied at every turn.
Our property rights litigation journey is now over. Consider it lost. Consider it a failure.
That said... our attorneys at Institute for Justice have said that what they learned doing our work helped them win cases for homeless people in other cities. So, it's not truly over. It's not truly a failure. The ripple effects of this journey have and will have positive effects in America.
I don't care much if I win or lose. I have no problem being a failure. I am in the company of countless activists, much greater than me, who have failed time and time again.
"It's all about the journey" is one of those catch phrases that I deeply believe. I just keep pushing that rock up the hill because it needs to be pushed. It's a good workout and I learn something every time I push that rock and it falls back down again.
So, property litigation is over. But I've already been turning the page. I'm trying with all my might to run for Ward 8 Akron City Council. I don't know what my likelihood of failure is on this endeavor. But it's in the double digits for sure. James Hardy is a long-time insider who has a lot of money and a lot of powerful connections. I definitely could lose this too.
But I have another catch phrase I like and use often: "You can't lose 'em all."
The power of human fortitude, determination, hope, belief and love is a hell of a thing. It bends great forces.
A city council member is only as strong as the people around them. You always need 7 votes to win anything. (Akron City Council is 13 people.)
I have been fantasizing about slowly but surely turning Akron politics away from the corporcrats and help the people of Akron be the leaders of city council and the mayor. It will be a monumental task. But it's worth fighting for.
For me, homeless people are a symbol of all the great suffering of Akron. So many wealthy white people on the West side have never even talked to an opiate or meth user or murderer or drug dealer or homeless person. But I can tell you one thing for sure: ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE SHAPING OUR CITY IN POWERFUL WAYS.
The foundation of Akron is rotten. Generational poverty, lifelong trauma and, of course, systemic racism of epic proportions, are destroying the fabric of our community.
We are now in an era of increasing income inequality in America. I see no indication that this is going to do anything other than get worse.
We need leaders in Akron that understand the tsunami that is heading our way. We are facing existential threats to the very existence of Akron.
No amount of parks and lakes are going to fix that. We have to deal with our problems head on.
So, from now until May 2, 2023 I will work my ass off to try to be the next city council person for Ward 8. I think I could do a good job.
If you want to help that cause I would be immensely grateful for one of two things:
1. Please let me put a sign in your yard.
2. Donate a little money so I can keep running ads on social media to tell this story.
You can find out how to do those 2 things and more in my Link Tree:
https://linktr.ee/sagelewisforakron8
Please always know that the number 1 reason I fight this fight is because of you. The greatest gift this journey has given me is to let me see EVERY SINGLE DAY what generous and kind people you all are.
I love you so much.
Sage
Paid For By The People for Sage Lewis