This article has been sponsored by the Jones Campaign. Riit ilo Kajin Majel – Wōn in Chris Jones? View video recordings in Marshallese and English – Full Interview.

Chris Jones spoke with Chikin Melele last week to talk about his campaign for governor of Arkansas. Early voting starts October 24 and continues through November 8. Here at Chikin Melele, we wanted to know: who is Chris Jones and why should he be governor?

Chris Jones’ family has been 7 generations in Arkansas.  When he was young, he played outside and rode dirt bikes.  In school, he played football.  He dreamed of becoming an astronaut but he was disqualified because of what he called “an invisible disability.” You wouldn’t know it but Jones is deaf in one ear. In college, he studied physics and math.  He graduated with a master’s in nuclear engineering and a doctorate in urban planning.  

Chris Jones lives in Little Rock but he grew up in Pine Bluffs.  His father is a pastor there and Chris is a registered minister.  He does all he can to honor God in his work in education, business, and government. His wife, a captain in the airforce, works as a doctor in emergency care.  She is also the state medical director for disaster preparedness.  They have three daughters. Jones talked about how they have made voting a family tradition– taking their kids with them for as long back as they were babies in strollers.

As part of the campaign, Chris Jones has visited every county in Arkansas to walk a mile with constituents. Before that Chris Jones had come to Springdale with a maker space pop-up.  Since the pop-up initiative, he has visited Stroll the Atoll and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for Manit Day.  He saw the drive and love in the Marshallese but he said that the challenge is in including all people whether they are Black, Latinx or Marshallese.  And he says we are stronger together when we share our resources.

His plan is to spread opportunities and resources.  He calls this plan PB & J.  Like Peanut Butter and Jelly, but instead Pre-school, Broadband, and Jobs.

P: There should be the opportunity for all children to go to pre-school.  So that they will be able to graduate and go on to higher education, work in a skilled trade, or start their own business.

B: It’s important to connect all of us people by translating information into other languages, building housing and transportation (roads), increasing access to get online, and making it easier to access services for challenges in mental health and substance abuse.

J: And more jobs are needed.  In Springdale, there are many jobs with Tyson but if you want to get other kinds of jobs there should be paths towards whatever job you want.

He said that it is important to recognize the history that has brought the Marshallese the US.  It is America’s responsibility to include the Marshallese in decisions made in government.  We are stronger when we include all people regardless of where they are from or how much money they have.

This election right now very important because people in Arkansas will be electing a new governor. Gov. Asa Hutchinson is term-limited. He has been governor for two terms and the position can only be held for two terms by the same person.  In this election, the main choice is between Chris Jones and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.  Chris Jones has worked to include all people in his campaign and promises to include all people in Arkansas if he is elected governor.  Please vote if you are able and encourage others to vote. If you don’t have the right to vote in Arkansas you can encourage others to vote for all of us.

Before we finished talking, Chris Jones pointed to a pin on his jacket and told us the story of the bumblebee. The pin displayed the image of a bumblebee, an insect that physically should be too big to fly but it does anyway.  It’s power comes from a vortex of wind that builds from how hard the bee flaps its wings and this vortex under the bumblebee lifts it so it can fly.  Jones said he tells this story because “they say a black man without any name recognition can’t win in the south” but he doesn’t believe it.  He says that by working together we can achieve the promise of Arkansas.

You can find more information at www.chris4govenor.com/vote or call their campaign branch in Fayetteville at 479-222-0160. Chris Jones also welcomed questions through social media: www.facebook.com/jonesforar.