Lightfoot Brings Message for Vibrant, Healthy Stark County

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a Massillon native, will return to Stark County on Saturday to address the Urban League fundraiser.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will be the keynote speaker at the Greater Stark County Urban League (Canton, OH) Black and White dinner Saturday night at the Metropolitan Event Center in Canton.

The theme of the fundraising event is Connecting with the Community.

The Black and White Ball aims to showcase the organization’s efforts toward improving the lives of those it serves by helping them make connections within the community.

Ahead of Lightfoot’s return to Stark County, The Independent caught up with the Massillon native and 56th mayor of Chicago via email to get her thoughts on the Urban League and current events.

Q: Why did you decide to come home and talk at the Urban League dinner and what will be your message?

A: Stark County is where I was born and raised. I care deeply about the fortunes of Massillon and the surrounding area. My mom still lives in the area and I have lots of relatives and childhood friends, so I wish for a healthy and vibrant Stark County. And that is precisely the message I will bring. While the scale is different, some of the challenges in Canton are similar to those we face in Chicago. Speaking before the Urban League not only affords a wonderful opportunity to address some of those pressings issues of the day, such as economic development, youth investment, and violence reduction, but doing it here gives all of us the opportunity to have that discussion among individuals who grew up in the same homes, attended the same schools, and lived in the same communities.

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