Like many people living in Jackson and surrounding areas, I watched the forum hosted at Anderson United Methodist Church last Tuesday night and was impressed with the caliber of candidates seeking the Ward 2 council seat.
If you believe in DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion ) as I do, then you will probably agree that regardless of the backgrounds and qualifications of the men seeking that seat, Jackson, MS really does not need another male (of any persuasion) on its city council. There are already five men currently serving on the council and four of the five are African American.
Women bring different perspectives and understanding to most situations – and at this time, both of these attributes are needed to improve the quality of life for everyone living in Jackson.
There are four women vying for the position, and I’d like to tell you about one of them. That person is my friend and colleague – Montyne (Tina) Clay.
I have known and worked with Tina now for over 30 years. A council person needs to be very intelligent. I am not saying that any of the other three women are not, but Tina definitely is. She holds an undergraduate degree from The University of Mississippi and a MBA from Millsaps College. She holds every higher level insurance certificate possible – CLU, ChFC, and CASL; you name it and she has it.
What do those insurance designations have to do with city government, you might ask? Everything. Attainment of those designations means that you are capable of learning and understanding above the norm, above the average, above what a regular agent is capable of understanding. She has a wealth of knowledge. In fact, I call her all the time and ask her stuff that I don’t know. She reads and she understands, and reading is fundamental to anyone undertaking the role of a city council member. Because just like being an attorney or lawyer, to get to the bottom of things, a person has to read for himself or herself and can’t be told what to believe or think.
Aside from her wealth of knowledge and her ability to decipher information, Tina has already invested heavily in the Jackson community. For the past 30 years, she has worked individually and through organizations to which she belongs to foster students in the Jackson Public Schools. I cannot name all of the schools that she has worked with, but I know specifically that she was a mentor for students at Brinkley Junior High School.
On top of that, during the Jackson water crisis, Tina spearheaded State Farm’s efforts to help provide clean water for all students in JPS. She did this by enlisting the financial support of every State Farm agent and asking our company to contribute to this worthwhile cause.
Tina has one adult daughter, Hope, but she cares about other people’s children as if they were her own. She has mentored children at her church and at her husband’s church; children who were from broken or dysfunctional families. Tina wants all children to have opportunities and she uses her own resources to accomplish this by buying them clothes and paying for them to participate in extracurricular activities that their parents would not be able to sponsor.
So, when I speak of what Tina will do as a city council person, I’m not talking about what she plans to do. I’m talking about what she has done and will continue to do. I believe her actions speak louder than anyone’s words.
Tina Clay is very honest. Citizens can depend on her to carry out the responsibility of the council position with both honesty and integrity. She is an active member of Christ the King Catholic Church but is just as active with her husband’s (Judge Henry Clay) church Central United Methodist, both located in Jackson’s inner-city.
Tina is a health advocate. She exercises rigorously, plays tennis, golf, and enjoys making quilts. But, two years ago, she suffered an unexpected health challenge that brought her to terms with life and the limited time each of us is given to do good on this earth. She recently told me that her doctors have released her and that she is back 100%. Tina is young, she is educated, she has energy, and she is passionate about helping others and uplifting others.
On October 1, 2024, make a great choice! VOTE MONTYNE (TINA) CLAY AS YOUR WARD 2 COUNCIL PERSON. She will represent you and your concerns in the best possible way!
–Jackie Bland, supporter
