Edited from Mrs Blackwell's page on the Philadelpia City Council website:
"Mrs Jannie L Blackwell, a 5-term councilperson born and reared in Philadelphia, is an advocate for social change who for 30 years has served community members and the poor and underprivileged in the City
of Philadelphia.
Mrs Blackwell is a graduate of Cheyney University (Bachelor of Science in Education) and a graduate of St.
Joseph’s University (Master of Arts in Education).
Mrs Blackwell began her political career by serving as Special
Assistant to the Governor, assigned to the Pennsylvania Legislative
Black Caucus in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She resigned with her
husband, then State Representative Lucien E. Blackwell, when he ran for
and was elected to City Council.
She has been delegate to the National Convention for the
last 5 presidential elections, she was Administrative
Assistant to 2 Lucien E. Blackwell campaigns for Mayor, 4 for City
Council and 3 for the U.S. Congress; as well as during Mr Blackwell's 15-year tenure in City Council, before
succeeding him.
Since taking office in 1992, Jannie has emerged as a strong contender
and powerbroker in the local political arena. Elected among her peers
as Majority Leader in 2000 (2000-2008), Councilwoman Blackwell is a behind the
scenes consensus builder and problem solver. A stellar politician who
understands the making of solid policy, Councilwoman Blackwell has
introduced significant legislation during her 5 Council terms.
Mrs Blackwell
is Chair of the Education Committee and the Chair of the Committee
on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless. She is Vice
Chair of the Finance Committee and member of the Committee of the Whole,
Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities, and the Committee on
Ethics.
Mrs Blackwell is also a Co-Founder and Commissioner on
the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs.
The Lucien E. Blackwell Homes, in and around
46th Street and Brown Streets in West Philadelphia total over 1,000 new
homes available for rental and homeownership.
In 1999, Mrs Blackwell announced a 10-Year Economic
Development Plan for West and Southwest Philadelphia causing the
formation of a non-profit organization, “West Philadelphia on the
Move”. The Plan incorporates her vision for increasing affordable
housing and job and business development. Her leadership and hands-on
approach with business leaders, public and private institutions,
community groups, town watch leaders, block captains, and other elected
officials, has continued to allow this economic development plan to be realized, so far with over 3 billion dollars in public and
private investment.
Mrs Blackwell has made a life-long commitment to move her
community forward, and will always work to foster an end to
homelessness, neighborhood blight and poor public education through
using the tools of public policy, legislation and public involvement.
Her vision is that the quality of life of all her constituents can be improved –
regardless of race, class, gender, or socio-economic status. She
believes every problem can be solved, and that
when we work together, everybody wins."
