Atlantic City, New Jersey

6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 positive that the dynamic is shifting in Atlantic City. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” shares Small. “I have a saying that I’m Atlantic City born, Atlantic City bred, and when I die, I’ll be Atlantic City dead. We’re changing the culture here, and as I tell everyone: we’re just getting started.” The Mayor is getting the word out about the city’s movements via the Great Day Gazette, a monthly report he created to keep residents apprised of all the local action. He also hosts a weekly radio show called In the Mixx w/ Mayor Marty Small, streaming live every Saturday on 96.1 FM “The Touch”, and Sunday on 99.3 FM “The Buzz”. “We don’t want to give people an excuse to say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know about that’,” says Small. “We’re very active on social media, with the city’s web page, and with myself, personally, getting information out to the residents.” With some major issues facing the local economy, Small insists that the administration under his watch is going to be “aggressive” in what it does, “for the greater good and for the good people of Atlantic City.” Part of the plan involves educating residents through the city’s quality of life programming. The Mayor’s office has a nine-week Small Business Academy, which is run by the New Jersey State African American Chamber of Commerce. They are about to wrap up their second cohort of the program – that’s business and investments – which has been highly successful. In the fall, they’ll embark on assisting residents with credit repair and financial planning. Small says he’s always looking for ways to give residents free programming, to cultivate their entrepreneurial spirit so they can succeed on their own. “I just happen to be married to the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. La’Quetta Small, who is the first African American female Superintendent in the history of Atlantic City,” he shares. “Businesses in the city, particularly minority businesses, and specifically African American businesses, have been a dying breed. ATLANT I C C I TY , NEW JERSEY