*Media mogul Jason Lee is campaigning for a city councilman position in his hometown of Stockton, California.
In a new interview with Blavity, the founder of Hollywood Unlocked, said, “I see myself as a reflection of the people I want to serve.”
Per Blavity, “Lee’s self-funded campaign is rooted in improving the quality of life for Stockton’s residents. His focus on education, economic vitality, employment opportunities and living standards are issues he says previous candidates have ignored,” the outlet writes.
“They tell the people all the things they’re going to do, and then they get elected, and then you don’t see them anymore, especially within the Black and brown communities,” he said.
“I’ve been running a very youth-focused agenda,” Lee shared.
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“I think it’s just about investing in enriching the youth with economic development, job growth, being able to create, things for them to do in the city because there’s nothing for them to do outside of gaming, smoke shops,” he said.
In his commitment to providing resources for the youth, Lee intends to donate his government salary towards establishing a “youth athletic commission.”
We reported earlier that, through his Hollywood Cares Foundation, bridging celebrities with opportunities to support underserved children, Lee aims to launch a new youth program in his hometown dubbed “I Am Ready.”
Last year, he asked the city of Stockton for $1 million to kick off the initiative.
“I’m going to show them that you could be cool, you could live, but you can also give back to your community,” he told Blavity. “You can also commit to service.”
Lee continued, “My commitment to what is a part-time position will be full-time because you have to have a full-time heart and put a full-time effort into everything you do. So, I hope to be an example for the people. I want to say, ‘I know it is a sacrifice, but if not you, then who, and if you can do it, do it.’ And I think if more people did it, we would see a different world.”
READ MORE: Jason Lee Asks City of Stockton for $1M to Pilot ‘I Am Ready’ Youth Initiative | WATCH
