If you are local to Akron chances are you have heard the name Sage Lewis, what comes to mind when hearing that name though vary from person to person. Lewis is not only very outspoken about the things he believes in, but he's very loud about them as well. All one has to do is listen to any episode of his podcast "Sage Against the Machine" (https://radiofreenetwork.com/sage-lewis-podcast/) to find that to be an accurate statement. Lewis does put actions behind his words though, in 2017 he opened one of his properties to be used by homeless individuals who had their previous camp shutdown by Summit Metro Park. No good deed goes unpunished though as this started a battle with the city of Akron that continues to this day.
Current Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan even wrote an op-ed in the Akron Beacon Journal attacking Lewis and his Homeless Charity and Village claiming that "For all the posturing, loud impassioned speeches, blog posts, public requests for donations and edgy movie posters depicting him as some type of savior, Sage Lewis has made little progress on actually moving the needle on homelessness." (Horrigan, Dan. "Dan Horrigan: Let's clean up the picture on the Homeless Charity". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved April 1, 2021.) The newest chapter in this rivalry has Lewis agreeing to never again host a homeless person on his property again after an alleged Sex Trafficking bust on his property.
Where does this feud come from? Does Dan Horrigan hate homeless people or does he just hate Sage Lewis? Does is stem from Lewis making an attempt to run for Mayor of Akron in 2015 directly against Horrigan? Does Horrigan fear the voice that Lewis has seemed to develop amongst the city since his attempted run in 2015? Could Horrigan feel threatened by the fact that Lewis always has the option to challenge him for Mayor again? If it is the latter that has now become a justifiable fear. Recently Sage Lewis has announced he is once again planning on running for Mayor of Akron in 2023. (https://www.sagelewis.com/)
With the recent unrest in the city over not only the murder of Jayland Walker by the Akron Police Department, but the retaliation against protesters by the APD and Horrigans office it seems a change is definitely needed. Is Sage Lewis the change Akron needs? He has proven that he is not afraid to buck the system when he feels the system is wrong. I don't see Lewis "playing ball" just for the sake of politics. If I'd have to compare Lewis to another politician I'd say he is a mix of Donald Trump without the racism and Jimmy Carter without the meagerness. He believes in helping those that need it most, he has no problem saying exactly how he feels rather people like it or not. He is an off the cuff, off his rocker candidate and I believe that is what Akron needs. The most sane choice for us as a city in 2023 is seemingly a man I am not 100% sure is sane himself. If nothing else the debated will be fun to watch.
This Thursday Sage Lewis will be heading a live Town Hall Meeting on Facebook at 9:15 AM (https://www.facebook.com/events/365552422397888/?ref=newsfeed)