Dena K. Morgan for Jackson City Council - Ward 1

My Bio

Dena K. Morgan for Ward 1 – Not For Sale

My name is Dena K. Morgan, and I’m a proud southside resident of Ward 1 — a community advocate and dedicated public servant running as a nonpartisan candidate to represent our neighborhood on the Jackson City Council.

I come from a long line of community servants. I’m honored to be the fourth generation in my family committed to service, the niece of Tony Dungy, and the granddaughter of Wilbur Dungy, a Tuskegee Airman and biology professor for more than 30 years at Jackson Community College. In 1953, he made history as the college’s first Black instructor, paving the way for future generations through education and leadership.

My grandmother was also a tremendous influence on my life. She taught at Jackson High School, and there is a library at Frost School named in her honor. Jackson High School’s Dungy Field Stadium stands as a testament to my family’s integrity, service, and lifelong commitment to excellence. My mother remains my number one supporter and continues to inspire me every day.

I was called to serve my family and my neighborhood at the age of nine, and since then, my commitment to this community has only grown stronger. As a mother and grandmother, I bring leadership rooted in care, dedication, and a deep understanding of the challenges families face. This lived experience, combined with the guidance and influence of my family and community, has shaped me into the leader I am today, with a personal stake in helping our community thrive.

Outside of my work in the community, I’m a devoted mother and grandmother, and I cherish every moment spent with my daughter, my grandchildren, and our family dog. Family is my foundation, and the love, laughter, and lessons we share inspire the way I serve our community. Whether it’s enjoying time together at home, sharing stories, or exploring our neighborhood, these moments ground me and remind me why Ward 1 deserves a leader who cares as deeply as I do.

I also bring teamwork and leadership from my youth: I was the captain of my basketball team, had to play every second of every game, and we won every game. That experience taught me perseverance, strategy, and accountability — skills I bring to public service today.

As Chief Executive Director of the Dungytreei Heritage Foundation, I lead efforts to keep youth off the streets, on stage, and in school. Our organization was the first youth program to perform at the Jackson County Fair and at the Michigan Theatre downtown. We host annual car washes where kids keep their earnings and are developing a 24-hour child care center in Ward 1 to support working parents and create jobs for local residents, including youth and seniors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I organized volunteers to distribute over 150,000 pounds of food and deliver care packages. The Foundation also made history as Jackson’s first drive-thru food pantry and was honored at the Ella Sharp Museum for this work.

I will reopen the community recording studio in the Tony Dungy Classroom at the King Center, which has remained closed for over 20 years — something my opponent has not done since taking office. Many of the youth we’ve lost loved rap and music, and this studio will provide a positive outlet for their creativity and healing. Alongside this, we will establish the long-promised community computer lab, offering resources for job searches and helping seniors build technology skills so that opportunities reach all generations.

Ward 1 deserves more than promises — we deserve results. Our families and children need safe, exciting places to gather, play, and grow. That’s why I’m committed to bringing a water park and more community events to our recreational centers like the King Center and Exchange Park. The Dungytreei Heritage Foundation was proud to host the first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration at the King Center — honoring our history while building a brighter future. I want to take that same spirit of community pride and turn it into year-round opportunities for fun, learning, and togetherness right here in Ward 1.

I founded the Art of Recovery and the Five Stages of Grief Support Group and co-founded Stop the Violence Jackson, which supports victims of gun violence, alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health challenges. I also work with returning citizens and meet with the women at the Jackson County Jail every Sunday, honoring the ministry of my late uncle, Reverend Harold Dungy.

I am deeply committed to seeking justice by advocating to solve unsolved murders and stop the senseless violence impacting our youth. My opponent has never spoken up about gun violence or the youth killing each other. I will work with councilmembers, elected officials, and residents to find real answers because the current $1.5 million Gun Violence Intervention Program is not effective.

Children should play safely in their yards. Everyone should feel safe at community events. No one should have to leave their neighborhood because they don’t feel secure. The safety of our community comes first.

That’s why I am championing efforts to keep the grocery store on Prospect Street in Ward 1 — close to families and seniors who have waited far too long for access to fresh, affordable food.

Let’s Talk About the Southside

In 2020, the Jackson City Council unanimously voted to create the Martin Luther King Corridor Improvement Authority (MLKCIA), a ten-member board dedicated to redevelopment efforts along MLK Drive and Prospect Street. This district covers Franklin Street to South Street and all of Prospect Street, with the goal of revitalizing our community.

Many residents don’t know what the MLKCIA is or how it affects their neighborhood. My opponent claims to be a “driving force” behind revitalizing Jackson’s Southside, highlighting over $1 million invested in local businesses and infrastructure.

But here’s what’s missing:

1. Residents are still waiting to see real progress on promised housing, streetscapes, and economic development.
2. Ward 1 faces rising rents, vacant lots, and ongoing economic challenges.
3. If you drive through the MLKCIA district today, you won’t see the improvements promised — residents can see for themselves.
4. Residents along MLK Drive were not informed that vacant homes could automatically be converted to commercial use after one year, leaving homeowners at risk of losing control of their properties.

Despite $4.5 million allocated to the MLKCIA with a deadline to spend by December 2026, progress on the ground is nowhere near what our community deserves.

Meanwhile, the city is narrowing a historic road on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive that was perfectly fine, while many local roads remain riddled with potholes and neglected.

I had to urge my opponent to hold a Ward 1 meeting, and when she did, she invited other city departments to answer questions — not a direct engagement with residents on MLKCIA issues or the promised grocery store.

City of Jackson FOIA responses revealed serious transparency concerns: the MLKCIA currently has no treasurer or executive director. The Jackson Community Foundation was paid $100,000 to manage funds but is letting the city’s DEI Department handle operations — a clear breach of contract.

Residents have raised concerns about non-transparent leadership, including funding businesses without signed leases, funding outside the corridor, breached contracts, and swapping the promised grocery store site on Prospect Street for one-bedroom King’s Community Apartments — all without informing the community. The MLKCIA lacks commercial inventory for new businesses, mostly consisting of city-owned vacant land, despite multiple funding rounds.

I stood up to stop a $1 million special assessment on homeowners and businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive — something my opponent never challenged.

Even though my opponent has served on the MLKCIA board since 2020, she has not held a single public meeting to answer residents’ questions directly. The board refuses to record meetings, keeping residents in the dark. When I pressed her on accountability, she deflected responsibility by saying she’s “not the only one on the board.” True leadership means taking responsibility — not passing the buck.

She wants to move the promised grocery store out of Ward 1 to Ward 2 — even though the city purchased property on Prospect Street and allocated $4.5 million for this project. She couldn’t deliver, and the City of Jackson removed her from the vice mayor position, giving it to Fred Dancy in Ward 2. Everything has an expiration date — it’s time for new leadership.

Residents in Ward 1 spoke loud and clear in a recent survey: they want the grocery store here. Yet my opponent opposes it and is planning to replace it with one-bedroom apartments, hiding this from the community she was elected to serve. Her friends and MLKCIA board members, including the city’s DEI chief, were involved when the RFP was submitted, according to FOIA responses.

She was voted out of her vice mayor position by fellow councilmembers — a clear sign that change is needed.

Silence isn’t leadership. Ward 1 deserves a true voice — a leader who will fight for the people.

If these efforts fail, Ward 1 will face continued economic decline, limited access to fresh food, rising rents, neglected infrastructure, and a loss of trust in leadership — leaving our community behind while others move forward.

It’s time for leadership that listens, acts, and delivers for Ward 1. I’m running to be that leader — someone who will stand up for our community’s needs, fight for transparency, and ensure your voices are heard at City Hall. But I can’t do this alone.

If you want real progress on our grocery store, safer streets, better roads, and economic opportunities for our families, I invite you to join me. Volunteer, share your ideas, and help spread the word. Together, we can rebuild Ward 1 into the vibrant, thriving neighborhood it deserves to be.

My Key Issues