Elect Dena K. Morgan for Jackson City Council - Ward 1

My Bio

My name is Dena K. Morgan, and I’m a proud southside resident of Ward 1, community advocate, and dedicated public servant running as a nonpartisan candidate to represent our community on the Jackson City Council. I come from a long line of community servants — I’m honored to be the fourth generation in my family committed to service, the niece of Tony Dungy, and the granddaughter of Wilbur Dungy, a Tuskegee Airman who bravely served our country.

I was called to serve my family and neighborhood at the age of nine, and since then, my commitment to this community has only grown stronger. As a mother and grandmother, I bring leadership rooted in care, dedication, and a deep understanding of the challenges families face. This experience has prepared me well to serve Ward 1 effectively on City Council, where I will work tirelessly to make our community safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

As Chief Executive Director of the Dungytreei Heritage Foundation, I lead efforts to keep youth off the streets, on stage, and in school. Our organization was the first youth program to perform at the Jackson County Fair and at the Michigan Theatre downtown. We host annual car washes where kids keep their earnings and are developing a 24-hour child care center in Ward 1 to support working parents and create jobs for local residents, including youth and seniors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I organized volunteers to distribute over 150,000 pounds of food and deliver care packages. The Foundation also made history as Jackson’s first drive-thru food pantry and was honored at the Ella Sharp Museum for this work.

I will open the community recording studio in the Tony Dungy Classroom at the King Center, which has remained closed for over 20 years—something my opponent has not done since taking office. Many of the youth we’ve lost loved rap and music, and this studio will provide a positive outlet for their creativity and healing. Alongside this, we will establish the long-promised community computer lab, offering resources for job searches and helping seniors build technology skills so that opportunities reach all generations.

Ward 1 deserves more than promises—we deserve results. Our families and children need safe, exciting places to gather, play, and grow. That’s why I’m committed to bringing a water park and more community events to our recreational centers like the King Center and Exchange Park. The Dungytreei Heritage Foundation was proud to host the first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration at the King Center—honoring our history while building a brighter future. I want to take that same spirit of community pride and turn it into year-round opportunities for fun, learning, and togetherness right here in Ward 1.

I founded the Art of Recovery and the Five Stages of Grief Support Group and co-founded Stop the Violence Jackson, which supports victims of gun violence, alcohol, and drug abuse. I am deeply committed to seeking justice by advocating to solve unsolved murders and stop the senseless violence impacting our youth. My opponent has never spoken up about the gun violence and unsolved murders or the youth killing each other. I will work with Councilmembers, other elected officials, and my constituents to find real answers. The current $1.5 million Gun Violence Intervention Program is not effective.

Children should play safely in their yards. Everyone should feel safe at community events. No one should have to leave their neighborhood because they don’t feel secure. The safety of our community comes first.

That’s why I am championing efforts to keep the grocery store on Prospect Street in Ward 1—close to families and seniors who have waited far too long for access to fresh, affordable food.

Let’sTalk About the Southside

In 2020, the Jackson City Council unanimously voted to create the Martin Luther King Corridor Improvement Authority (MLKCIA), a ten-member board dedicated to redevelopment efforts along MLK Drive and Prospect Street. This district covers Franklin Street to South Street and all of Prospect Street, with the goal of revitalizing our community.

Many residents don’t know what the MLKCIA is or how it affects their neighborhood. My opponent claims to be a “driving force” behind revitalizing Jackson’s Southside, highlighting over $1 million invested in local businesses and infrastructure.

But here’s what’s missing:

1. Residents are still waiting to see real progress on promised housing, streetscapes, and economic development.

1. Ward 1 faces rising rents, vacant lots, and ongoing economic challenges.

1. If you drive through the MLKCIA district today, you won’t see the improvements promised — residents can see for themselves.

Despite $4.5 million allocated to the MLKCIA with a deadline to spend by December 2026, progress on the ground is nowhere near what our community deserves.

Meanwhile, the city is narrowing a historic road on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive that was perfectly fine, while many local roads remain riddled with potholes and neglected.

I had to urge my opponent to hold a Ward 1 meeting, and when she did, she invited other city departments to answer questions — not a direct engagement with residents on the MLKCIA issues or the promised grocery store.

City of Jackson FOIA responses revealed serious transparency concerns: the MLKCIA currently has no treasurer or executive director. The Jackson Community Foundation was paid $1 million to manage funds but is letting the city’s DEI Department handle operations — a clear breach of contract.

Residents have raised concerns about non-transparent leadership, including funding businesses without signed leases, funding outside the corridor, breached contracts, and swapping the promised grocery store site on Prospect Street for one-bedroom King’s Community apartments — all without informing the community. The MLKCIA lacks commercial inventory for new businesses, mostly consisting of city-owned vacant land, despite multiple funding rounds.

I stood up to stop a $1 million special assessment on homeowners and businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive — something my opponent never challenged.

Even though my opponent has served on the MLKCIA board since 2020, she has not held a single public meeting to answer residents’ questions directly. The board refuses to record meetings, keeping residents in the dark. When I pressed her on accountability, she deflected responsibility by saying she’s “not the only one on the board.” True leadership means taking responsibility — not passing the buck.

She wants to move the promised grocery store out of Ward 1 to Ward 2 — even though the city purchased property on Prospect Street and allocated $4.5 million for this project. She couldn’t deliver, and the City of Jackson removed her from the vice mayor position, giving it to Fred Dancy in Ward 2. Everything has an expiration date — it’s time for new leadership.

Residents in Ward 1 spoke loud and clear in a recent survey: they want the grocery store here. Yet my opponent opposes it and is planning to replace it with one-bedroom apartments, hiding this from the community she was elected to serve. Her friends and MLKCIA board members, including the city’s DEI chief, were involved when the RFP was submitted, according to FOIA responses.

She was voted out of her vice mayor position by fellow councilmembers — a clear sign that change is needed.

Silence isn’t leadership. Ward 1 deserves a true voice — a leader who will fight for the people.

If these efforts fail, Ward 1 will face continued economic decline, limited access to fresh food, rising rents, neglected infrastructure, and a loss of trust in leadership — leaving our community behind while others move forward.

It’s time for leadership that listens, acts, and delivers for Ward 1. I’m running to be that leader — someone who will stand up for our community’s needs, fight for transparency, and ensure your voices are heard at City Hall. But I can’t do this alone.

If you want real progress on our grocery store, safer streets, better roads, and economic opportunities for our families, I invite you to join me. Volunteer, share your ideas, and help spread the word. Together, we can rebuild Ward 1 into the vibrant, thriving neighborhood it deserves to be.

Oversight & Accountability

I have also led a protest at Reed Manor to stand against drug overdose deaths, crime, and mismanagement—because our residents deserve safe, well-managed housing. I understand firsthand how vitally important funding and support are for homeowners, and I am committed to helping them protect their homes and keep their families secure. Protecting residents from unfair assessments and ensuring access to resources keeps neighborhoods strong. When I’m elected, I will make sure the Jackson Housing Commission, which is guided by a five-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor with City Council consent, is held accountable to the people it serves. I will vote with the interests of residents first, ensuring transparency and better oversight.

Chalet Terrace, located right here in Ward 1, is part of that oversight responsibility, and I will make sure it receives the attention, safety improvements, and resources it deserves.

I will also ensure that Jackson Area Transportation Authority (JATA) Board members are selected with Ward 1’s best interests in mind. While the Board oversees transit management, as a City Councilmember, I help vote on appointments to that Board. I will work to make sure our representatives prioritize improving bus routes, expanding service hours, and making transportation affordable and accessible for seniors, workers, and families.

Understanding My Role

The City of Jackson operates under a mayor–council–manager form of government. That means the City Council—made up of the mayor and six ward representatives—sets policies, approves budgets, and votes on major decisions, while the city manager carries out those policies and oversees day-to-day operations.

As your Ward 1 councilmember, my role will be to listen to you, bring your concerns to the table, vote in your best interest, and hold both the mayor and city manager accountable for carrying out the work that serves our community. I will make sure your voice is heard in every decision, from housing and transportation to public safety and budgeting.

Nonpartisan Governance

All City Council meetings are nonpartisan, meaning no political party affiliations influence our work. This structure helps keep our government focused on the people, not politics, and is a crucial safeguard against corruption. As your Ward 1 councilmember, I will uphold this nonpartisan tradition, putting community needs above any party interests.

My track record includes:

1. Championing efforts to keep the grocery store on Prospect Street.
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3. Attending MLK Corridor meetings and keeping residents informed.
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5. Building a “We the People” public group with nearly 3,000 members for open communication.
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7. Stopping a $1 million assessment on homeowners and businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
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9. Ensuring citizens have access to legal representation at City Hall so their voices are heard and rights protected.
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11. Assisting tenants at no cost to prevent evictions and homelessness.
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13. Completing the Citizens Police Academy to build stronger community-law enforcement relationship.

Together, We Can Build a Better Ward 1

Real change doesn’t happen alone. It happens when neighbors come together, voices unite, and we all take action for the future we want to see. Your involvement matters—whether it’s volunteering, sharing your ideas, or supporting this campaign.

By working as one, we can create safer streets, bring essential resources like the grocery store and community programs right here to Ward 1, and hold our leaders accountable for transparency and responsible budgeting.

This is our home, and together, we will make it a place where every family feels safe, supported, and empowered to thrive. Join me, and let’s turn our shared vision into lasting progress.

My Key Issues