Standing on the Shoulders of a Trailblazer: Honoring Mayor Joyce Ferguson

Last week, I had the honor of attending a building dedication in the name of Mayor Joyce Ferguson and I walked away changed. Before this campaign began,

I knew West Memphis. I knew our streets, our schools, our people. But I didn’t yet know the depth of the woman who helped shape so much of it. And when I hear the word first, I start digging. Because if I earn the trust of voters in District 35, I will be the first woman to represent this area at the state level. That kind of moment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens because someone else was brave enough to go first. That someone was Mayor Joyce Ferguson. She was the first woman to serve as mayor of a First Class City in Arkansas. At a time when politics was not built with women in mind, she led anyway gracefully, decisively, and with people always at the center. She didn’t just hold the office. She built the city.

So, I went to the dedication expecting to just see her from acrooss the room, beleive it or not I am an introvernt. I knew people would be all over her and lined up to speak with her, thank her, hug her. But when I saw a break between people chatting with her, I took my chance. I told her how inspired I was by her leadership. I told her that if I win, I’ll be one of the first too. I don’t know why it hit me as hard as it did, but the moment she turned toward me still sharp, still present, still powerful at nearly 100 years old, I felt it in my bones. She grabbed my hands tightly. She hugged me. She looked me straight in the eye and told me she was proud of me. That she was rooting for me to win. That affirmation meant more than she will ever know. We took pictures. I gave her a Christmas ornament. And my hope, my prayer, is that every year when she pulls out her Christmas tree, she’ll remember that during her lifetime, another “first” was happening.

That her legacy was still moving forward. Mayor Ferguson once led West Memphis through a building boom City Hall, the Civic Auditorium, fire stations, parks, the river port. She fought for affordable utilities when others told her no. She listened to residents. She trusted the people who put her in office. And because of that, West Memphis grew. That example matters to me deeply because my campaign is built on the same belief: people first, community always. Our pillars: Youth & Education, Technology & Workforce Development, and Economic Development, they are not separate ideas. They are a promise that growth should benefit everyone. As District 35 experiences new opportunities, our kids are prepared for tomorrow’s jobs, our workers are equipped with real skills, and our families share in the prosperity.

Mayor Ferguson showed us what that looks like in action. Being the first isn’t easy. Let me say it differently for the people in the back, "BEING FIRST IS HARD!" Sometimes it’s lonely.

Sometimes it’s heavy.

But women like Joyce Ferguson prove that with grace, persistence, and a deep respect for the people you serve, success is possible. I’m holding onto that motivation every single day of this campaign. My heels are in the sand. I’m ready to fight for our children, for our community, and to make sure District 35 benefits from the economic momentum ahead, just like West Memphis did under her leadership. Audrey for Arkansas is about honoring the past while preparing for the future because the future can’t wait.

Thank you, Mayor Ferguson, for lighting the path. I intend to keep walking it.