Stanford University graduate, Rhodes Scholar, Yale-educated lawyer: Any one of Cory Booker's titles could open a lot of doors. But the door he unlocked in 1996 was to an apartment in Brick Towers, a notorious public housing project in Newark, N.J. that Booker chose as his residence. From there he launched a crusade to clean up Newark -- nicknamed "Brick City" -- first as a community organizer, then as a city councilman and now, as mayor.
Booker will give a talk, "The Next Generation of Political Leadership," at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 4. in Fleishman Commons at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy. Part of the Hart Leadership Program's Connect2Politics initiative, the talk is free and open to the public.
During Booker's first two years in office, Newark has seen a 40 percent decrease in murders and shootings. Working with local foundations, he created a $20 million fund to support charter schools and a Brick City scholarship fund. He also created the new position of "inspector general" to investigate corruption in city agencies. When Brick Towers was condemned, Booker moved in to another troubled, downtown neighborhood.
Booker has said, "I want to luxuriate in the racial deliciousness of our country. I mean, that's what makes America great. We are a nation that celebrates racial diversity. We're not Norway. We're not South Korea. We are the United States of America. The story of America is bringing such differences together to manifest a united set of ideals, not a united culture, not a united language, not a united religion, but a united set of ideals."
Associate professor of political science Kerry Haynie will interview Booker during his visit for the Living History Program, an initiative that documents conversations with American and world leaders who have been part of historic events. Booker will also meet with the Connect2Politics Learning Community.
Booker's talk is sponsored by the Sanford Institute's Hart Leadership Program, the DeWitt-Wallace Center for Media and Democracy and the Office of Student Activities and Facilities.
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Lecture: Newark Mayor Cory Booker 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4 Fleishman Commons, Sanford Institute of Public Policy Information: 613-7322; pubpol.duke.edu