Hollywood Popular Artists

Mar 4th 2013, 17:15

Meet Rashawn Davis: he's Michael Tubbs 2.0, and he's hoping to change Newark, New Jersey, for the better. While most college juniors are worried about finals or post-grad life, Davis has his eyes on one major prize: the city council seat for Newark's West Ward.

Newark is known for high crime and rising unemployment rates, which means, if elected, Davis will have his work cut out for him. mtvU caught up with the Georgetown junior to learn more about why he's so set on changing Newark.

+ Watch "Student Running For Office In NJ."

In the video, Davis talks about his roots in the city: "I was born in 1990 when the FBI named Newark, New Jersey, one of the country's most dangerous cities." Davis explains how he was born to a single mother, which means the city's issues of poverty and educational inequity were more than familiar to him; it was a reality he lived every day.

Davis speaks about how his formal education -- as well as his informal education as a resident of Newark -- has prepared him for political office. At the end of the day, Davis truly believes it's important for the youths of Newark to have representation in local government.

"All of the issues our city faces are intimately connected to young people," he explains. "The highest demographic of unemployed citizens happen to be young people who don't have a high school diploma. But we have a city council that's nine members: none of which are under the age of 42. It creates a disconnect between the people who make the decisions and the people affected by the decisions."

Do you think Davis can follow in Tubbs' footsteps and win his city council seat? Even though elections aren't until May 2014, Davis is already busy campaigning. You can learn more about his plans for Newark on his campaign site.

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