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| Kwame Spearman | |
Kwame Spearman, CEO and head of the group that owns the Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, Colo., is running for mayor of Denver, Denverite reported.
"Not only are we emerging from a pandemic, but we're trying to stave off a recession, and right now what the city needs in this critical stage is a clear vision and policy and most importantly plans that can actually result in action," Spearman told Denverite. "For me, this is not about a race that is entirely focused on winning. This is a race that's about my home."
Saying he would be a "neighborhood mayor," Spearman will focus, Denverite said, "on efforts to bring each community what it needs, from community-specific policing to development initiatives that increase housing density where it is desired." He also supports low-interest loans for small businesses to help them raise wages.
Spearman will compete with what the Denverite calls "a string of powerhouse candidates," including a city council member, a state representative and a former state senator.
While most of Spearman's experience has been in business--including working for Bain and Company, B.GOOD and Knotel before Tattered Cover--he was involved in student government and was former Colorado Senator Mark Udall's deputy press secretary during his successful 2008 campaign.
Spearman added that if elected mayor, he will resign as CEO of Tattered Cover. Asked if he might resign sooner to focus on the race for mayor, he said, "We have a lot of contingencies in place for the next few months. We're working with our board and our senior leadership team on those things. And as soon as they are public, we will let folks know. But as of Monday, I'm still CEO of Tattered Cover."