Raised in Kingsessing, I have been committed to our community for my whole life. As Councilmember, I have worked every day to bring people together to solve our toughest problems.
Jamie's Story
Jamie grew up here in West and Southwest Philly. It's where she's raising her two sons. It's where her parents instilled in her the importance of education and working with others to build a strong community. It's where she learned how important it is to stand up for those too often pushed aside.
After graduating from Central High School, Jamie received her undergraduate degree in Accounting from Temple University and her Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Pennsylvania.
As a mom and as one of the few black female urban planning students at Penn, Jamie knew to succeed, being just as good wouldn't cut it—she had to be better. So, while others talked, Jamie went to work.
Working to improve education
Jamie joined a program called INROADS, which helped students of color earn internships that would lead to good-paying jobs. Jamie later founded Mommy Grads, an organization dedicated to helping single moms handle the struggles of raising children while attending college. The organization provided mentorships and stipends to ensure women graduated and succeeded.
Working to create good jobs
Jamie served at Philadelphia Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), where she helped create good-paying jobs for Philadelphians. Jamie is particularly proud of her work to support bringing the West Philly-based Center for Culinary Enterprises to life, a commercial kitchen that provides local food vendors with safe, clean kitchen space. Jamie also served as the Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, where she helped local businesses become more environmentally sustainable and secure city contracts.
Working to create green space
As the Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, Jamie worked with over 100 volunteer park friends groups to steward and care for neighborhood parks across the city. She also led the Conservancy in carrying out improvements in West Fairmount Park. Jamie knows we must give our children safe places to grow and play.
Fighting for Us
In 2019, Jamie was elected to serve the 3rd District. Since taking office, she has worked to address the gun violence emergency and fought for affordable housing with groundbreaking legislation. When the COVID pandemic began, Jamie was part of the team that passed legislation to keep thousands in their homes and to stop evictions. When Roe fell, Jamie helped pass a package of bills to protect reproductive rights in the City.
Jamie is going back to City Council to fight for people centered solutions to gun violence, affordable housing for all who need it, and good jobs across West and Southwest Philly.