THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER RETURNS TO HER FIRST LOVE – LA MARQUE

By Trishna Buch
Kim Jones Yancy, current resident
of the City Of La Marque, is running
for the position of mayor in the
coming election on May 5th. Born
in La Marque and raised in Dickinson
and Clear Lake, Yancy is now
a proud resident of La Marque
and, by extension, of Galveston
County. In a release written by her
and sent to The Post, she spoke
about the many positives of La
Marque, saying “we are one of the
fastest growing cities in Galveston
County, (that) we have four
school districts in one community
and (that) our robust Economic
Development Board is planning
to market our city to potential new
investors.” When we spoke on the
phone, she was singing her praises
about La Marque by saying “I
love the confidence of the people
of La Marque. I love that they love
their city and I love the feeling of
family and fellowship.”
A business owner, Yancy is
a graduate of the University Of
Texas at Austin. She earned her
bachelor’s degree in Government
before joining the working world.
According to her release, Yancy
worked as a Job Trainer and Career
Counselor for the Texas Work
Source Commission, became a
teacher in 2004 and was one of
the state’s youngest Director Of
Public Housing, working for the
Galveston Housing Authority under
Sharon Strain. In 2007, three
years after becoming an educator,
Yancy was named Galveston
County Sam’s Walmart Teacher Of
The Year. And when she was a UT
student, she was a columnist with
the college’s paper, The Daily Texan
and was a collegiate intern for
state representative Al Edwards.
Yancy will be an asset for La
Marque, because she truly cares
about the people. She has served
in several volunteer groups, including
the NAACP, the Galveston
Long Term Recovery Group and as
the founding member of 1st Friday
Fellowship Ministry Of Galveston
County. She also has experience
in politics, not only from interning
for Al Edwards, but through serving
on the founding group of Edwards’ Black Legislative Weekend and through her involvement in joining
Sheila Jackson Lee in attending the Cohort Of Houston Pastor’s Wives
to discuss family and faith in Washington DC. She is also an author of
“Confessions of a Preacher’s Wife” and a best seller on Black Expressions
in 2008.
When asked why she decided to run, she said because she cares
about the city, its people and wants to see it grow in a positive direction.
“La Marque is one of the best kept secrets in the state,” she told
me. She wants to “collaborate with businesses, enlarge our tax base,
welcome new families, as well as, grow and diversify our city agencies.”
She also stressed the importance of reinvesting in La Marque’s youth,
its elderly and ensuring the safety of its residents. Yancy says she hears
and understands concerns about gentrification, security and an aging
infrastructure, but she knows that there are many positives to La Marque
and she plans to emphasize these, as well as work to make La Marque a
great place to live, should she be elected. “I am an ordinary woman who
makes extraordinary decisions… and they work,” she said in her release.
Yancy says she is filled with passion and love for her city. She has tirelessly
served the community as a volunteer, a business woman and a
community builder. She is filled with all the skills needed to make a great
mayor—intellect, political knowledge, love for her city, care for the people
in it and a determination to get the job done.