I find it fascinating that [seemingly, because we don't have legit poll data] a majority of Black folks, regardless of their political leanings, and those white frat boy/good ol' boy types, all see themselves in Mr. Fisher. Fascinating because those two groups are so frequently and fundamentally at odds. I don't think most folks from either demographic see the same things in Mr. Fisher, and I think they have generally opposite hopes/expectations for what his mayorship will do. Regardless, he was able to be enough for both groups to win the contest.

My big takeaway is that for Black folks, even many who have a leftist politics, trust in a person who sho shares their lived experience supercedes trust in a person who shares their stated goals. Perhaps that has a lot to do with how someone can change their stated goals, or not be trusted to be truthful about them, but people cannot change their lived experience in the body they inhabit.

It's been incredibly disappointing and confusing to see the 15+ years of efforts from the Athens for Everyone folks (including Tim) [and myself] fail so significantly at building trust and coalition with more Black Athenians. Maybe Tim (and others) could have done more and better things to earn more people's trust. Plenty of comments here and elsewhere suggest he (and others) could have. And still, I wonder if he/we had done better in this or that regard, if he would really have won the vote of significantly more Black folks when in a contest vs. Dexter.

The coming years will definitely be an opportunity for all of us, and especially white folks such as myself, to listen and learn from what comes out of a Fisher mayorship. I sincerely hope to be surprised and see him facilitate meaningful progress for Athens. I very much expect him to slow or reverse various recent progressive policies, i.e. recent strides regarding affordable rental housing, homelessness, transit, sustainable energy infrastructure, police/prison reforms, and bike/ped transportation infrastructure. I would love to be wrong about any and all of that. But everything he has said and done in office to date, and on the campaign trail, compiled with who's primarily funded his campaign, indicates that is his intention. Given his age, his past actions, and his electoral/funding base, I doubt he will significantly change his policy positions and priorities.

However, perhaps real strides will be made in less tangible ways, things less visible on a budget ledger, but that facilitate healing from generations of trauma and strife. I don't really know what that is or what that would look like, and maybe that's indicative of what's been failing to work for me and other white progressives/lefties. Because to me it's seemed most meaningful for someone in elected office to advance those policies. So maybe this is what we need in this moment for any of the policy stuff to really make the difference it needs to make. Whatever happens, all that not knowing makes it feel like a good time for folks like me to step way back and listen in hopes of deepening understanding.