Though he still lives at home with his parents, 18-year-old Jaylen Smith is now the youngest Black mayor in U.S. history after the college freshman won an election on Tuesday to become head city official of Earle, Ark.
Smith says his plans for the town include bringing a major grocery store to the community, increasing transportation options for elderly residents and building 24/7 public safety resources.
“I’ve had mayors look at me in my eyes and they saw [my will] and they believed that it could happen,” he said. “Them believing in me encouraged me to keep going, even though people said, ‘You’re too young,' ‘He has no experience,’ ‘You just graduated high school.' They helped me to see the bigger picture … because anything is possible.”One of those mayors Smith connected with — Frank Scott Jr., the mayor of Little Rock — has served as a de facto mentor throughout his campaign.
Despite his excitement since winning the mayoral race, the mayor-elect says he hasn’t celebrated and likely won’t until January because he sees a bigger picture beyond the accolades.
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