Jackson Mayor John Horhn restored a Jackson city employee to her former position after she was fired in the latter days of the previous administration in what can only be described as an abuse of power.
The Lumumba administration fired Keisha Coleman in May after she dared discipline Chief of Staff Safiyah Omari (PhD)'s son for not showing up to work as she violated the sacred commandment of the Lumumba administration: Thou shalt not mess with the no-show job.
WLBT reported in May:
Keisha Coleman had led the less than 3-year-old office, a key piece of outgoing Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s efforts to tamp down on crime, since January 2023.
She was by Lumumba’s side earlier this year when he announced, weeks before losing reelection, that the office had awarded $150,000 to community-based organizations working to prevent violence. The press conference marked the beginning of 100 Days of Peace, also known as 100 Days of Action, an initiative that was to feature events like town halls, trainings and listening sessions and conclude with a sneaker ball to celebrate the Jacksonians working to reduce violence.
But if an event required funding, it did not happen, Coleman said, and she’s doubtful it will. Just a few months later, on May 7, Coleman said she received her termination letter from Lumumba’s chief of staff, Safiya Omari. Rest of article.
Ms. Coleman explained her side of the story in a letter addressed to the City Council:
Today, I, Keisha Coleman, former Director of the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery (OVPTR), was terminated from the City of Jackson following months-long campaign of retaliation, financial obstruction, and unethical conduct by Dr. Safiya Omari, Chief of Staff for the Mayor’s Office. The termination, verbally framed as a “loyalty” issue, follows repeated attempts to hold the administration accountable for gross misuse of public funds and nepotism that jeopardized critical community safety programs.
$270,000 in National League of City (NLC) grants funds are at risk of being returned: Deliberate obstruction by Dr. Omari and Executive Assistant Tiffany Murray in that they withheld financial tools and support for 18 months, preventing me from appropriately spending funds meant to serve the community. Most of the work done was done from my personal funds and people in the community who supported the work. (KF: Sounds like how the grant to the Greater Jackson Arts Council was siphoned in Atlanta, doesn't it? )
$202,000 in City Funds Never Allocated: Despite approval for a youth engagement center, these funds were never properly routed to OVPTR’s budget. Tiffany Murray and Safiya Omari had knowledge of this but never sent the approval to finance to appropriate the funds. (per finance staff member)
Misuse of OVPTR Funds:
* Dr. Omari’s son, Kuwasi Omari, receives a $50,000 salary despite chronic tardiness, absenteeism incompetence to the role, and failure to complete tasks or submit weekly reports.
* Tiffany Murray’s salary was partially paid from OVPTR’s budget, despite providing no operational support even after I was hired as ED.
Retaliatory Termination and Nepotism
* On April 16, 2025, Dr. Omari confronted me about a baseless “loyalty” concern after she saw me the previous Sunday (April 12th) briefly speak with political candidate John Horhn at a public community event. This pretext escalated to termination following:
*Disciplining Kuwasi Omari for absenteeism, failing to comply with his 45 day Performance Improvement Plan (Which coincidentally ends May 8) and incompetence and non-compliance. (Other COJ employees have had the exact same complaint with both of Omari's sons but were apprehensive to report in fear of retaliation). "Allegedly" Exposing Dr. Omari’s refusal to provide the tools necessary to appropriately spend $270,000 in grants, and $202,000 in city funding risking forfeiture of both funding resources and denying critical services to communities most at risk;
*Advocating for transparency in OVPTR’s finances because I was not given access until January 2025. Dr. Omari’s weaponizing her authority, position, and retaliation included:
* Withholding staff hires in order to hire her son, making it difficult to do community outreach, and via Tiffany Murray, not providing me with the training, tools, or resources to do my job. Outside of the one time in March 2024, Tiffany Gave me a realm of copy paper, I’ve purchased, on my own, copy paper, office supplies, flyers, rack cards, brochures, etc. just to have an operational office....
In conclusion, my termination is not about loyalty or work performance, it is about accountability and transparency. For months, I fought to ensure the $700,000 in grants and $202,000 in city funds reached the community programs they were intended for, only to be blocked at every turn by Dr. Omari and Tiffany Murray. Paying her unqualified son a $50,000 salary while refusing to provide support and resources to trauma recovery and other community programs is not just unethical, it is a betrayal of Jackson’s most vulnerable.Dr. Omari’s retaliation, including weaponizing a casual conversation at a public festival, exposes a culture of fear and corruption designed to silence dissent. I feel this abrupt termination is an attempt by administration to cover up and or clean up. Either way, I will not be a scapegoat for financial misappropriations or silent about the nepotism. Jackson deserves better.
Mayor Horhn righted the wrong and gave Coleman back her job.
25 comments:
Now for the hard decision: is this a job that should be retained? How well do violence prevention strategies (separate from law enforcement) actually work? I hope Mayor Horhn is willing to take a hard look at all positions within city government.
Good question. Here is somewhat of an answer from a recent article about Detroit in City Journal:
Crime rates have plummeted—a key factor in attracting new investment and residents. The city’s homicide total now stands at its lowest since 1965, falling from 252 in 2023 to 203 last year, a 19 percent decline. According to this year’s first-quarter numbers, carjackings and nonfatal shootings are down 30 percent and 45 percent, respectively, compared with the first quarter last year. As City Journal reported in March, initiatives like Project Green Light—a public-private partnership that helps businesses in high-crime areas install security cameras—have played a key role in improving public safety.
But in his final State of the City address and in a follow-up interview, Duggan emphasized that hiring more police at higher pay was critical to reducing crime. When he took office, officers were making as little as $15 an hour, often working 12-hour shifts. Detroit had fewer cops on the streets than it did in the 1920s. Yet unlike many other cities, Detroit did not defund its police department after the 2020 killing of George Floyd. “We gave officers a $10,000 pay raise and put 350 more officers on the streets,” Duggan said. As a result, he says, “[we] got people who should have been locked up locked up.” Duggan also invested $10 million in the city’s community violence-intervention program, which enlists trusted neighborhood activists to work directly with gang members and other high-risk individuals to prevent violence.
10:43 is asking the question I am. Frankly, I just think it's because consequences don't exist to prevent it. All the coddling of this stupid ass behavior.
Ms. Coleman should run for the State Legislature.
Well done Mayor Horhn.
Keep up the good work.
Killings are down in Detroit BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE LEFT but non english speaking communities. Take a trip.
SMART DECISON! her salary is much cheaper for the city than the lawsuit she was about to unleash on and mop the floor with the city.
I know nothing about this case, but wrongful termination sounds like a slam dunk
Is Dr. Omari son still working for the city? What about the guy in public works?
Ms. Coleman called out Omari's conduct, documented it in a detailed letter, then put it in the public record by submitting it to the city counsel.
She said what others didn't dare whisper (probably because they have bills to pay and families to support), and I salute her for it.
Nope. Both gone as is David L.
And for her allegiance, Tiffany Murray was paid $184,095 a year.
https://govsalaries.com/murray-tiffany-191428895
Thanks for the answer KF
Detroit is actually going through a boom. It is much smaller than back in the hey day, but its worst days are behind. Try Google.
The best violence prevention strategy is to conceal carry.
You mean that there are actually people in Jackistan who don't carry?
Stop babying these foolish criminals with all this preventive nonsense! Keep locking their asses up when they commit a crime with stiff sentencing. Somewhere down the line they will get with the program or not, so be it! I do not commit crimes because I know the real consequences and it’s against the law.
Stop pampering these criminals! No money needs to be spent on prevention, punishment is the deterrent! It’s just a waste of resources and a money scam! While we are tip a toeing with these same criminals someone will get killed or hurt! Lock their butts up!
Crime and punishment laws go back to the 1700’s. You knew what was going to happen when you break the law and found guilty! What in the muck has changed! Prevention! That’s why we are in a state of high crime in many cities! Does Madison and Rankin spend money on this nonsense! Naw because they have Judges that protect their citizens. Find Keisha another job in the city that helps the elderly or some other rewarding program. Let’s stop this nonsense helping gangs and criminals!
The City of Jackson had an Executive Assistant (aka, Program Manager) making $184k? I thought the Mayor only made $120k and the Public Works Director $125k?
Close the zoo!
2:41 come on you know how that works and the answer!
Chowke likely received a "commission."
One hundred and eighty four thousand dollars annual salary for any city of Jackson employee is completely insane.
None of it would have been possible without the BK.
11:11am Detroit, Atlanta, New York, Richmond and other large cities in this country have long been revitalized as well as other cities you don't hear about because they don't trash their own backyards or throw trash over the fence. In some places it's a matter of pride and self- control. It's admiring those who solve problems vs those who only whine and complain.
Here's data on violence prevention from John's Hopkins' Public Health reasearch wing. Scroll down to "Community Violence Intervention" (lots of other fascinating stuff here, too).
Im glad Chokwe & Bully Omari ass is out of office. This is awful! Lining their pockets .This is disgusting
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