A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. MLK
Zeph Baker Honored For Community Service
I want to thank Gwennetta Wright and GBC for recognizing me at On September 18, at the GBC Media Icon Awards Dinner. It was truly an honor to be recognized with such a distinguished group of citizens and business owners.
Working Together, Our Best Days Are Ahead of Us!
Family Is Foundational
In everything that I have experienced success, my family has always been involved at the foundation level. I remain focused on strengthening family connections in communities throughout the city and beyond. Stronger family connections stronger communities.
Fatherhood: Perspective, Prioritize, Promise
Zeph with youngest child Zoryn Quinn Baker
No elected office, no amount of money, nor any award can compare with the Joy I receive being a father. I am genuinely grateful for all my awards, recognitions, business success, and opportunities. But there is no question my most rewarding achievement is fatherhood, and my most significant contribution to this world will be my children.
PERSPECTIVE
I am the trustee of our most precious resource.
PRIORITIZE
I am clear about my responsibilities and being a great father is priority number 1.
PROMISE
My responsibility is to nurture and protect the promise of my children and prepare them for the greateness that awaits them.
Community issUes that keep me up at night
Crime
The other day, I heard an elected official boasting that the murders in the city were down. While he made a factually accurate statement, he did not understand that crime is no less a problem for and, particularly residents who live in south and east Columbus. Crime continues to ravage our communities. We continue to hear a lot of talking and empty promises, but we see no action. We have the resources and the power to make our communities safer and more productive, but we must work together.
Poverty
We have a new President, but we have the same old system that perpetuates the disparities between the have and the have not. My honest feeling is I do not feel the powers that be have a clue of what to do to bring jobs to black communities. And as sad as it may sound, I do not think most people in leadership positions sincerely care about anyone's bank account but their own. Our neighbors are working as many as three jobs to make ends meet and struggling to break the poverty level. Our future is in our hands, but we must work together.
Housing
Decent, affordable housing is essential to families. Affordable housing includes both renting and owning homes. Because we have had little quality housing inventory for decades, quality, affordable housing is not a priority. We have leaders whose solution to indecent housing is to move to north Columbus or Midland. This is their solution for their own lives. Rather than change the conditions of the community, they suggest we run to the other side of town. Of course, they know that most of us cannot move. Poor housing and communities significantly impact our children's future, essentially ensuring the legacy of poverty, blite, crime, and poor health.
Education
If we address the other concerns, the quality of children's education will improve. When parents and family members stop accepting poor-performing professionals, we will not see meaningful changes in Black student performance. The curriculum, as well as the pedagogies employed to dispense the education to most Black Children, is flawed. The idea that one size fits all is ludicrous, and the fact that this practice is still the standard in 2022 is criminal. We have made improvements in every other aspect of our lives, from how we manufacture cars, clothing, and food. We have changed, and by change, I mean we have improved how we communicate, receive healthcare, and even handle dogs. Yet we continue to use the same system for educating students that have been in place for the past 400 years. The people most negatively impacted by the flawed system will say nothing.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE URBAN LEAGUE WITH PILLARS OF THE MOVEMENT
ZEPH BAKER FOUNDATION SUPPORTS KENDRICK ATHLETICS PROGRAM
Odis Spencer Stadium Opening -One of Our State Treasurers
Georgia Democratic Convention
Mayors Van Johnson, Savannah,
and Deana Holiday Ingram, East Point
Senator Ed Harbinson
Congressman Sanford Bishop Fundraiser
together we have the power to change the world.
URBAN LEAGUE
