Mar 14, 2020
Ian “Jahiti” Smith is a community activist, musician, teacher, and
youth advocate who is committed to helping build stronger
communities and fostering real change in Wilmington.
Since his arrival in Wilmington, Ian has been involved in criminal
justice reform and works with the most at-risk youth. Ian also
serves as a founding member of Innocence Delaware, which works to
exonerate the wrongfully accused.
His work within social justice has brought about real change at
the individual, community, City, and State level. Currently, Ian is
the Director of Delaware’s Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), an
organization that provides re-entry support to juveniles returning
to the community from Delaware’s secure placement facilities. Under
his leadership, since 2016, the program has grown to a staff of 16
advocates serving over 150 youth versus 2 advocates serving 2 youth
at the time he took over the program. Through his efforts, a grant
was awarded to YAP through the Criminal Justice Council allowing
his work to expand to at-risk youth in elementary schools. He
recently began a partnership with the Delaware Department of Health
and Social Services, Johns Hopkins and the Urban Institute, working
with low-income youth participating in the Youth Employment
Study.
Ian serves passionately as the elected Vice-President of the
Browntown Civic Association. In addition to his professional work,
Ian has donated his time and musical talents to numerous community
organizations geared towards strengthening the City of
Wilmington.
His passion for serving began in college. After receiving his
degree in Social Science with a minor in Political Science, from
Coppin State University, Ian began volunteering for various
communities and national organizations, such as the Baltimore Area
Council, Boy Scouts of America, where he learned the fundamentals
of community organizing, grassroots planning, fundraising, and
civic leadership.
As a recognized activist in Baltimore, Ian was acknowledged by
then-Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and current City Council
President Brandon Scott for his work with the 300 Men Movement, an
elite male, volunteer unit which conducted violence deterrence
walkthroughs in targeted high-crime neighborhoods.
Throughout his career, Ian has been a key influencer, building
relationships with individuals and community organizations in order
to generate meaningful resources for families and neighborhoods. He
will bring that same drive, integrity and commitment to his role as
your City Councilman.
It is because of his decades of experience, hands-on work with the
most vulnerable individuals and families, and dedication to various
community organizations that Ian is confident in his ability to
affect meaningful change as the next Councilman for the Sixth
District.
Ian and his wife live in Browntown with their two miniature
poodles, Ming and Charlie, and are loving godparents to their 5
godchildren, nieces and nephews.