March 11, 2026 • 7 mins
At the United Negro College Fund gala, an evening focused on raising scholarship support for students, BIN's Amber Payton spoke with several Black mayors from across the Hampton Roads region.
She first caught up with Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, who reflected on the progress the city has made in recent years. Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones discussed the drop in violent crime in his city, while Hampton Mayor Jimmy Gray spoke about the spirit of unity that connects "The 7 Cities" that make up Hampton Roads.
Listen now!
She first caught up with Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, who reflected on the progress the city has made in recent years. Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones discussed the drop in violent crime in his city, while Hampton Mayor Jimmy Gray spoke about the spirit of unity that connects "The 7 Cities" that make up Hampton Roads.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Amber Payton with the Black Information Network, and leaders
and community members from across Hampton Roads came together for
the United Negro College Funds Mayor's Masked Ball in Virginia,
an evening focused on raising scholarship support for students attending HBCUs.
While I was hosting the red carpet, I had a
chance to speak with three of the region's four black
mayors about the work happening in their cities and the
(00:21):
impact that's having across Hampton Roads. Since Norfolk coasted this
year's event, I first caught up with Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander.
We talked about the progress the city has made during
his time in office and what he hopes to see
moving forward. Tell me what's one thing you're most excited
about while you have been mayor?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Thank you have been mayor for ten years, still have
a few years left, so I'm not leaving just yet. Yeah,
but just very excited about the work that we have
done in Norfolk to grow small businesses. You know, we
have a lot of corporate businesses. Norfolk is the epicent
and offic is the hub of Hamper Roads. But just
(01:00):
to grow neighborhood businesses, small businesses, community development. Very proud
of the work that we're doing, especially in Saint Paul's.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
And you have until twenty twenty eight, twenty.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Twenty eight, leave office in twenty twenty nine, Yes, you do,
so have about three years.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Yes, what's one thing that you want to continue to
see an area of opportunity for our city?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Yeah, I want to see more and you know, continue
to invest and to give opportunities to poor and marginalized communities.
When black and brown people have opportunity, then you know,
Virginia and Norfolk Hampton Roads prosper So I want all
people to have that opportunity. And if the city can
create the foundation, the platform, the opportunity for growth and
(01:43):
sustainable growth, then you know we're making it.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Now. We're here for a big night tonight with the
United Negro College Front. Yes, so tell me what does
the United Negro College Fund mean to you and for
our youth here in the area.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
It's really given every individual, especially of color, an opportunity
to pursue and higher education to make a difference. As
you know, when you have the skills, the education, the degree,
you know, the opportunities are endless. As far as wage
(02:16):
earnings and just advancement. So it's just a pathway, and
so I'm glad to be a part of it to
give black and brown, especially black students, an opportunity to
get those pathways, those skills so they can continue to
grow and develop and be.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
All they can be.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
There you go. And what's one message that you have
to our youth in our black and brown community right now?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, stay positive, investing yourself, show up every day.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And lean in, lean in. Then we moved over to
the Peninsula and I spoke with Newport News Mayor Philip
Jones about the city's historic drop and violent crime and
the work being done to keep that momentum going.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Tonight is about celebration.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It's about raising money for all of our hucus and
all of our UNCF students. And I'm proud to be
one of the mayors tonight to support this.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Last year was in your city, it was in Newport News.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Exciting Listen.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I don't often come to south Side, but it's a
good occasion, so that's why I'm here.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Which way did you take? Did you take the HIVT
or the monitormeor? Megan to judge you? Oh my goodness, Okay,
but it was.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
But I blame Waves though as a non sponsored posts,
but I blame Waves.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Okay, tell me a little bit about what the United
Negro College Fund means to you.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
To me, it's about education is the panacea. Education is
a thing that can change your entire life. It changed
my life. It changed my parents, my grandparents. My grandma
is almost ninety eight years old. She grew up as
a sharecropper and she just taught us the importance of education. Nice.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
So, what's one thing I know we're in Norfolk tonight,
but Newport News is your city. Yeah, what's one thing
that you're working towards a goal that you have for
twenty twenty six?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Ooh, I would say the goal that I have is
I just want to increase hope in the city. There's
a lot of just bad news that's happening all over
the globe.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
But you've also decreased violence in your.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
City, not just me, the entire team, which was one
of the lowest crime rates ever in the city of
Newport Neers and that is because of the dedicated grassroots organizers,
those community leaders, all hands on deck for gun violence
and new partners.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So what's one message that you have for the black
and brown youth in your city.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Yeah, I would tell everyone that we need to be
better neighbors to each other. We don't need to resort
to violence. We need to have that conflict resolution skills.
Most importantly, let's just hug each other tonight. Let's just relax,
have some fun and just love.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
And theyhboring city Hampton Mayor Jimmy Gray shared his thoughts
on the spirit of unity that continues to connect the
Seven Cities and Hampton Roads.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
You know, it's always good when our mayors come together
with the rest of the community to do something good
for people in our community, raising funds for United and
Nego College Fund, so you know, it's a great evening.
It's always a great event. So I'm just glad to
be here.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
To be a part of I do think that sends
a good message. One thing that Philip Jones, Mayor Jones
was talking about earlier was just we need more unity
in the community.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
I'm a south Side gap to raise on the south side.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I live on the peninsula now, so you know I'm
not I'm not afraid to come over and visit my
friends over on this side of the water. So as
a matter of fact, this is I came in for
this event. It's my second trip to Norfolk today. Today.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Oh you gotta love the seven five seven. Taking two
trips back and forth.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Let me say, I know you you know, we talked
about regional relationships. You know, I know there's always a
perception that, you know, the cities don't all get along,
but we do a lot of great work together. You know,
Hampton and newper News. You know, we're sister cities on
the Peninsula. You know, we we have regional projects that
we do together. And so you know, in spite of
what sometimes people think that we don't get along, we
(05:39):
really do. We meet all the time. We meet informally
to talk about things and you know, ways that we
can collaborate. So you know, when we come to something
like this, you know, it's not new to us to
come together for a good cause in our community.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And I think the one thing that I you know,
we cover Hampton locally and Newport News and all of
the seven cities daily on the Black Information Network, and
quite like Mayor Jones, the one thing that I've noticed
is Hampton has significantly reduced its violence.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Yes, we have, and we've been intentional about some of
the work that we're doing.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Uh we have a department set up.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
We're working with violence interrupters in the community who have
great connections with some of the young people in our
community who may you know, get involved with you know,
or be a victim of gun violence or to be
a perpetrator of a crime with a gun violence. So,
you know, we have a great network of people we're
working with and we're seeing positive results.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Noop and News is doing the same thing.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
And you know, because over there, the kids tell us
they don't see the boundaries between Hampton and Oop and News.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
They moving back and forth between those cities.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
So, uh so we got to work together on that
and I think we can really see some more positive
results and reducing gun violence absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
What's one message you have to the youth and the
black and brown communities in Hampton.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
Well, I would say, you know, let's put down our guns.
You know, there's there's a lot of opportunity in this community.
There are a lot lot of people, a lot of
organizations ready to work with young people in our community
to kind of help them, you know, do something positive,
get job trained in be able to get a good
paying job, in the community, which there are plenty of,
and so we want better outcomes for our young people
(07:14):
in our community. And I want them to know that,
you know, their community loves them, and so we want
to get them out of the situations that they may
be in that you know, may cause them harm and
get them on a better and more positive track.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Together, those conversations reflect the same goal behind the Mayor's
mass ball, supporting the next generation through education and opportunity
with the help of the United Negro College Fund. I'm
in repaytent with the Black Information Network
I'm Amber Payton with the Black Information Network, and leaders
and community members from across Hampton Roads came together for
the United Negro College Funds Mayor's Masked Ball in Virginia,
an evening focused on raising scholarship support for students attending HBCUs.
While I was hosting the red carpet, I had a
chance to speak with three of the region's four black
mayors about the work happening in their cities and the
(00:21):
impact that's having across Hampton Roads. Since Norfolk coasted this
year's event, I first caught up with Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander.
We talked about the progress the city has made during
his time in office and what he hopes to see
moving forward. Tell me what's one thing you're most excited
about while you have been mayor?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Thank you have been mayor for ten years, still have
a few years left, so I'm not leaving just yet. Yeah,
but just very excited about the work that we have
done in Norfolk to grow small businesses. You know, we
have a lot of corporate businesses. Norfolk is the epicent
and offic is the hub of Hamper Roads. But just
(01:00):
to grow neighborhood businesses, small businesses, community development. Very proud
of the work that we're doing, especially in Saint Paul's.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
And you have until twenty twenty eight, twenty.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Twenty eight, leave office in twenty twenty nine, Yes, you do,
so have about three years.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Yes, what's one thing that you want to continue to
see an area of opportunity for our city?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Yeah, I want to see more and you know, continue
to invest and to give opportunities to poor and marginalized communities.
When black and brown people have opportunity, then you know,
Virginia and Norfolk Hampton Roads prosper So I want all
people to have that opportunity. And if the city can
create the foundation, the platform, the opportunity for growth and
(01:43):
sustainable growth, then you know we're making it.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Now. We're here for a big night tonight with the
United Negro College Front. Yes, so tell me what does
the United Negro College Fund mean to you and for
our youth here in the area.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
It's really given every individual, especially of color, an opportunity
to pursue and higher education to make a difference. As
you know, when you have the skills, the education, the degree,
you know, the opportunities are endless. As far as wage
(02:16):
earnings and just advancement. So it's just a pathway, and
so I'm glad to be a part of it to
give black and brown, especially black students, an opportunity to
get those pathways, those skills so they can continue to
grow and develop and be.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
All they can be.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
There you go. And what's one message that you have
to our youth in our black and brown community right now?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, stay positive, investing yourself, show up every day.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And lean in, lean in. Then we moved over to
the Peninsula and I spoke with Newport News Mayor Philip
Jones about the city's historic drop and violent crime and
the work being done to keep that momentum going.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Tonight is about celebration.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It's about raising money for all of our hucus and
all of our UNCF students. And I'm proud to be
one of the mayors tonight to support this.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Last year was in your city, it was in Newport News.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Exciting Listen.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I don't often come to south Side, but it's a
good occasion, so that's why I'm here.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Which way did you take? Did you take the HIVT
or the monitormeor? Megan to judge you? Oh my goodness, Okay,
but it was.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
But I blame Waves though as a non sponsored posts,
but I blame Waves.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Okay, tell me a little bit about what the United
Negro College Fund means to you.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
To me, it's about education is the panacea. Education is
a thing that can change your entire life. It changed
my life. It changed my parents, my grandparents. My grandma
is almost ninety eight years old. She grew up as
a sharecropper and she just taught us the importance of education. Nice.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
So, what's one thing I know we're in Norfolk tonight,
but Newport News is your city. Yeah, what's one thing
that you're working towards a goal that you have for
twenty twenty six?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Ooh, I would say the goal that I have is
I just want to increase hope in the city. There's
a lot of just bad news that's happening all over
the globe.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
But you've also decreased violence in your.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
City, not just me, the entire team, which was one
of the lowest crime rates ever in the city of
Newport Neers and that is because of the dedicated grassroots organizers,
those community leaders, all hands on deck for gun violence
and new partners.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So what's one message that you have for the black
and brown youth in your city.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Yeah, I would tell everyone that we need to be
better neighbors to each other. We don't need to resort
to violence. We need to have that conflict resolution skills.
Most importantly, let's just hug each other tonight. Let's just relax,
have some fun and just love.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
And theyhboring city Hampton Mayor Jimmy Gray shared his thoughts
on the spirit of unity that continues to connect the
Seven Cities and Hampton Roads.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
You know, it's always good when our mayors come together
with the rest of the community to do something good
for people in our community, raising funds for United and
Nego College Fund, so you know, it's a great evening.
It's always a great event. So I'm just glad to
be here.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
To be a part of I do think that sends
a good message. One thing that Philip Jones, Mayor Jones
was talking about earlier was just we need more unity
in the community.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
I'm a south Side gap to raise on the south side.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I live on the peninsula now, so you know I'm
not I'm not afraid to come over and visit my
friends over on this side of the water. So as
a matter of fact, this is I came in for
this event. It's my second trip to Norfolk today. Today.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Oh you gotta love the seven five seven. Taking two
trips back and forth.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Let me say, I know you you know, we talked
about regional relationships. You know, I know there's always a
perception that, you know, the cities don't all get along,
but we do a lot of great work together. You know,
Hampton and newper News. You know, we're sister cities on
the Peninsula. You know, we we have regional projects that
we do together. And so you know, in spite of
what sometimes people think that we don't get along, we
(05:39):
really do. We meet all the time. We meet informally
to talk about things and you know, ways that we
can collaborate. So you know, when we come to something
like this, you know, it's not new to us to
come together for a good cause in our community.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And I think the one thing that I you know,
we cover Hampton locally and Newport News and all of
the seven cities daily on the Black Information Network, and
quite like Mayor Jones, the one thing that I've noticed
is Hampton has significantly reduced its violence.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Yes, we have, and we've been intentional about some of
the work that we're doing.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Uh we have a department set up.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
We're working with violence interrupters in the community who have
great connections with some of the young people in our
community who may you know, get involved with you know,
or be a victim of gun violence or to be
a perpetrator of a crime with a gun violence. So,
you know, we have a great network of people we're
working with and we're seeing positive results.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Noop and News is doing the same thing.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
And you know, because over there, the kids tell us
they don't see the boundaries between Hampton and Oop and News.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
They moving back and forth between those cities.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
So, uh so we got to work together on that
and I think we can really see some more positive
results and reducing gun violence absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
What's one message you have to the youth and the
black and brown communities in Hampton.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
Well, I would say, you know, let's put down our guns.
You know, there's there's a lot of opportunity in this community.
There are a lot lot of people, a lot of
organizations ready to work with young people in our community
to kind of help them, you know, do something positive,
get job trained in be able to get a good
paying job, in the community, which there are plenty of,
and so we want better outcomes for our young people
(07:14):
in our community. And I want them to know that,
you know, their community loves them, and so we want
to get them out of the situations that they may
be in that you know, may cause them harm and
get them on a better and more positive track.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Together, those conversations reflect the same goal behind the Mayor's
mass ball, supporting the next generation through education and opportunity
with the help of the United Negro College Fund. I'm
in repaytent with the Black Information Network
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