Sparked by unrest, Clifton seeks mayor’s office

By Christina Billos
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer

Sitting on a bench in War Memorial Park sporting a white Orioles jersey, Mack Clifton remembers the widespread anger, disappointment and sadness Baltimore residents felt in the aftermath of Freddie Gray’s death last April at the hands of police.

The minister and author of four books said he tried to share  a message of love and understanding in an effort to bring smiles to his neighbors’  faces during those tense days.

But as protesters marched for justice and looters set fire to local businesses, Clifton said he found a higher calling than the one he had received as a city employee and administrator of the Broken Shackles Messianic Judaic Ministries: he wanted to entire the fray of Baltimore politics and speak out for his fellow citizens who feel unfairly treated by their city.

Driven by his spiritual views and willingness to help others, Clifton is running as a Democratic candidate to replace current Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in the April 26, 2016 primary.

“Baltimore is in a state of flux…  There are a lot of changes that need to be made,” Clifton said. “People are crying out for change. Just about every place I go I hear, ‘The city doesn’t care,’ or ‘the city isn’t doing anything for us.’ This is a major concern when people feel their elected officials aren’t doing anything for them.”

Jared DeMarinis, the director of the Maryland Board of Election’s candidacy and campaign finance division, said this is the first time Baltimore City’s election is being held on the same calendar as the presidential election, which will increase the turnout for the mayoral race.

Clifton, 46, graduated from the International Theological University of Pasadena, California, with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and honors in business administration and education.  He earned his master’s with honors in church management and counseling.

Originally from Newark, New Jersey, he moved to Baltimore in 2005, where he married LaWanda Queenila Cox. He has three children with ages ranging from 1 to 17, and he also has a 25-year-old daughter from a previous marriage.

As a role model for his children, Clifton believes that strengthening the family unit is a factor in changing Baltimore City’s neighborhoods.

“There is a direct correlation between crime and poverty,” Clifton said. “People that are poor are desperate. Some of them are driven to do things they would never normally do…that are outside of their character.”

Clifton also plans to bring more job opportunities by inviting bigger businesses, such as automobile manufactures and the White Castle fast food hamburger restaurant chain, to the area. But it all starts with empowering the youth of Baltimore City, he said.

Increasing education among the city’s youth will lead to “people making more money… and able to pay their bills, keep a roof over their head, and food in their families’ stomachs,” Clifton said.

In 2014, the United States Census Bureau reported that 21 percent of the city’s 622,739 people were children under the age of 18.  The number of students enrolled in pre-K to 12^th grade is 84,976, according to Baltimore City’s public school budget for the 2014-2015 year. Compared to the projected budget plan for 2015-2016 year, there are 84,959 students enrolled, a decrease of 0.02 percent.

Overall, there are 48,045 children living in the city that are not enrolled in school.

“Young people are our future,” Clifton said. “We are raising future doctors, lawyers, politicians, nurses, teachers…and I hate to say it…future criminals, prostitutes and murders.”

Clifton acknowledges that he is an underdog in the race, which includes such heavily weights as former mayor Sheila Dixon, City Council member Nick J. Mosby and council member Carl Stokes.

Scherod Barnes, the chair of the Democratic Central Committee, said he is an active member within the party but was unfamiliar with Clifton running in the mayoral race.

“I just don’t think … an outsider can come in and change the way of the city that has been dormant or they haven’t been an active party all along,” Barnes said.“Those are my concerns.”

Barnes said that as longtime resident in the city he would like to know what Clifton’s positions are regarding education, crime and his goals concerning the housing department, taxes, police and trash.  Barnes said these are all key factors for any candidate running for office.

Clifton hopes to show people he cares by taking the extra step  of listening to their concerns rather than doing all the talking.

“Someone is paying attention, someone does care,” Clifton said. “It’s not just about trying to make a name, because I already have one.”