Newark, NJ – March 12, 2024 – Mayor Ras J. Baraka presented his 10th annual State of the City Address tonight, in a joyful, impassioned, and triumphant speech to the residents of Newark assembled at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, located at 1 Center Street.
In his address, Mayor Baraka reflected on his administration’s achievements of the past decade starting from his “David moment.” Describing himself as “just a kid from Clinton Avenue and 10thStreet…Amiri and Amina’s son, an activist, a poet, a teacher with nothing in his hands but a rock and a sling shot,” he proclaimed, “It’s only when we face Goliath that our circumstances begin to change. We can’t miss our David moment out of fear and trepidation.”
The mayor went on to delineate a remarkable sequence of improvements and upgrades to Newark living, focusing on the administration’s accomplishments over the past 10 years. Stopping along the way, he commended municipal employees who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and residents who have benefited from city initiatives, he shared a compelling vision for the future.
The event provided an opportunity for residents, business leaders, non-profit organizations, and community stakeholders to learn firsthand about the progress the City of Newark has made and Mayor Baraka’s administration’s upcoming initiatives for this year and the future.
