Meet: Aisia Jones
In a world full of dense social upheaval and utter chaos, where the fight for liberation can feel exhausting and hope can feel futile, there is Aisia Jones - a Black mother and civil rights activist who knows when enough is enough. Running for the Cleveland City Council Ward 8, she is determined to shift the narrative around public safety and create greater representation for Black folks in electoral politics. Uplifting youth, awakening them to the power of their voice, and guiding them to a world where “public safety” is not determined by the violence of the state— Jones is making room for radical Black imagination and manifestation to blossom.
Following the 2016 election, Jones began to get more involved with electoral politics and organizing. Maintaining this energy into 2020, she began to exert a lot of effort into mobilizing people to go to the polls. In 2021, following the insurrection at the Capitol, she started pulling petitions and made the decision to run for office herself. Prompted by the perpetual disappointment and violence inflicted upon herself and her community by the hands of the state, this decision has allowed her to take direct action and be hands-on. With an “if not now, then when” mindset, she recognizes the importance of immediate well-being for her community. She says, “I can get in and push and support legislation and policy that will affect the future so that my son’s future won't look like my present.”
Elaborating as to why this time feels more urgent, Aisia shares why she can’t wait. “I’m gonna do it poor, I’m gonna do it as an organizer, I’m gonna do it as a civil rights activist, I’m gonna do it as a wife, I’m gonna do it as a Black woman, I’m gonna do it as a mom, because none of those things would change…. After the uprising, if anyone returned back to life as usual, there is a problem there.” At this point in time, many marginalized folks are able to recognize how their lives are threatened by the hands of white supremacy. Jones says, “When you think of public safety right now, a lot of people just think of the police and that’s not what public safety is. Public safety is decriminalizing homelessness. Public safety is decriminalizing poverty... public safety is having driveable streets, better quality city services.”
But Aisia knows that her work in her community is even more personal than that. While out canvassing one day earlier in July, she met a family who had one of her campaign signs in their front yard. While casually and amiably talking to the grandfather, Jones is moved when his granddaughter expresses her shock that the woman on the sign is actually standing in their home. The little girl, giddy with amazement, is also astonished to see that Jones has a gap between her teeth, “You don’t see people that are Black and have gaps like me,” she exclaims. Overcome with gratitude Jones reflects on this experience, “Moments like that where my physical presence had not yet touched that yard and to see the little girl's face light up… I didn’t have that as a child.” This is why representation matters.
Missed our livestreamed conversation with Aisia? Catch the replay below:
This candidate storytelling project is a collaborative campaign of Ohio Women’s Alliance Action Fund and LEAD Ohio working to uplift the voices of women of color around the state working to better their communities through electoral pathways .Ohio Women’s Alliance Action Fund and LEAD Ohio are nonpartisan 501c4 nonprofit organizations registered with the IRS. This storytelling project is an effort to uplift women candidates running across the state of Ohio regardless of political affiliation. We reserve the right to interview or not interview applicants based on their alignment with our policy platform and organizational values. Interviews and blog posts are not representative of an organizational endorsement. If you are interested in sharing your story, please submit this form.