Jennifer West: A Steward and Voice of the People
This year will mark 21 years since Greenwood native Jennifer West moved from her hometown to Jackson for a change and new opportunity. From the beginning, serving and advocating for others and educating them has been at the core of all the work she does in the Jackson community.
West serves in a hybrid role as the neighborhood services small business development coordinator for the City of Jackson. In this role, she works under the Neighborhood Services Division, housed in the Planning and Development Department, and for the Office of Economic Development. The primary goal of neighborhood services is to build positive relationships with constituents (residents) and educate them on resources and opportunities via city government. “I believe a substantial part of the city doesn't quite understand the process, and it's typically from those neighborhoods that are underserved and underfunded,” West said. “Our team wants the community to understand all of this and get the best out of it at the end of the day, regardless of where they live.” On the economic development side of her role, West makes sure that businesses comply, have licenses, meet requirements, and understand the services offered via the city. She took an interest in the position because she understands how they work together. “You can’t have a neighborhood without businesses, and patrons come from neighborhoods,” West said.
West also serves as president of the Midtown Neighborhood Association and dual board member for Midtown Partners, Inc. and Midtown Public Charter Schools. She has served on the Midtown board for over 10 years in various roles as president, vice president, and secretary. Her main focus in Midtown is making sure the community's voice is heard. “I always strive to make sure that the majority voice is being heard and even the minority voice so hopefully everybody gets what they need in this community,” West said. “I don't make a move without having conversations with different pockets of people in this neighborhood.”
West has also served as president of the Jackson Association of Neighborhoods (JAN) and continues to volunteer as a community liaison. She can be found at most community and neighborhood events providing information on behalf of the City and reporting to JAN and the City on behalf of neighborhoods like Mid City and Georgetown. “I consider myself a steward and I love serving people,” West said.
Besides all of her roles and duties, West is most proud of her role as a mother to her daughter and being a homeowner. She considers herself a parent-in-training, understanding that her role will change as her daughter grows and develops. “She is the best thing God has allowed me to do,” West said. “I’m never going to master anything when it comes to her because each stage of her life will be a new training ground for me. I take it very seriously when it comes to her.” Coincidentally, West became a homeowner because of her daughter. She would always make her daughter read to her on outings around the city. After an outing to the Battle of the Bands in Jackson, her daughter started reading a flyer that was left on window of their car. “It says you can get a house, Mama. It says you can apply,” her daughter said. It was a flyer for Habitat for Humanity. After going through the process and allowing her daughter to be a part of it, West became a first-time homeowner at 30.
West encourages Jackson residents to consider the legacy they want to leave behind and to talk to the elders in their community to prevent history loss. “The history of your neighborhood or the history of Jackson flows through them. If they are not able to get it out, it dies with them. You will be surprised at what they tell you and how it will make their day.”
Related Stories
