DeKalb County’s newest elected official says Clarkston’s reputation as a welcoming hub for refugees and immigrants is what attracted him to the area.
Mark Perkins, elected last week to a vacant City Council seat, grew up in several different countries — from nations in Southeast Asia to South America. He said the small DeKalb city reminds him of those distant places.
“I don’t think I’ve been anywhere else in the U.S. where, in two-to-five minutes, I could be around the people, food and culture that represents the different countries that I grew up in,” Perkins told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s really what made my family) decide to make Clarkston home and set down some roots here.”
Perkins, 34, is the son of a businessman who worked with international missionary efforts and churches for roughly two decades, and that global perspective is something he aims to bring the city of roughly 13,000 residents. Perkins spoke to the diversity of Clarkston’s population, which is 58% Black, 29% Asian, 6% white and roughly 3% Hispanic.
“We have such a diverse community in Clarkston,” Perkins said. “Much of our attention is on ethnic diversity, but it’s more than that. It’s racial diversity. It’s socio-economic diversity. It’s political diversity.”
Perkins moved to the small city in 2014 after getting married. He owns the consulting company Leadersolve, and is a leader with One Collective, a Christian nonprofit that focuses on community-led activism and initiatives around the world.
He won last Tuesday’s special election with 56% of the vote. However, his time is limited, since he’s serving out the remainder of the term vacated by Yterenickia “YT” Bell, who stepped down to unsuccessfully run for mayor. The term expires at the end of this year, so Perkins’ goals are short-term.
He was on the Clarkston Community COVID-19 Task Force and cited pandemic recovery as one of his top priorities. He added that he hopes to bolster a culture of collaboration among the six-person City Council.
“You almost have to be more of a general contractor, where you walk into a room and ask what perspectives are missing here,” he said. “You have to have the right culture and a certain level of trust, where you can adapt and learn and listen and deal with the unknown things as well as the known challenges.”
He’s not sure whether his political ambitions will last past this year, but he said he hopes this foray into public service will benefit the city. The results of the election, which only saw 4.7% of registered voters participate, are expected to be certified by the county Friday.
About the Author
