Meet: Sharetta Smith
When asked why she’s running for mayor of Lima, Sharetta Smith has a solid answer; “Number one: I love this city and number two: I’m ready.” And ready she is. A born and raised resident of Lima, Sharetta knows this city and knows that a shift in leadership is coming. “We’re in a time period where the ‘look’ of who is considered a leader is changing,” she shares, “And that the expectations of a leader are also changing—people are looking for individuals who do more than practical, everyday duties, but someone who can bring life experiences that relate to the people they are serving.”
Sharetta’s life experiences have more than prepared her for this elected position. She has over a decade of experience working in the judicial and executive branches of local government, beginning with a position as an Assistant District Public Defender and most recently as Chief of Staff for the City of Lima under Lima Mayor David Berger.
If elected as mayor, Smith would be making history as the first woman to hold this position in Lima, as well as the first person of color. . But, she shares, this is not why she wants to win. Sharetta has big dreams for the city of Lima if she were to lead. A few of these include growing the economy with good paying jobs, better housing in thriving neighborhoods, strengthening working families by improving schools, and supporting livable wage jobs, and creating better government by increasing transparency within city government by connecting people to the services intended to work for them.
Sharetta wants to grow the economy by supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. She believes that entrepreneurship should be a viable and attainable option for people which requires intentional diversification of the local economy. Her plans also prioritize quality, affordable housing at all income levels throughout the city in thriving , comprehensive neighborhoods that include small businesses as well as adequate lighting plus sites for active exercise and community engagement. Her plan to reduce crime and keep Lima safe includes hiring more police and firefighters, targeted violence reduction initiatives and prevention programs, increasing diversity among safety services personnel and improving dialogue with the community.
And ultimately, the challenge of our time is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has stolen so many lives and irreparably changed many others. Living in community with one another requires understanding and addressing all of these challenges as part of an interconnected collective. “Even as a leader, you can’t do anything by yourself,” she attests.
For Sharetta, this is the dream; to be a visionary, collaborative leader that brings her hometown into the fullest version it can be. Learn more about her journey and get to know Sharetta by checking out the replay of our livestream interview 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.