There are certain streets in Covington that never really leave you.
Even when life pulls you into different rooms, different cities, different conversations. One of those streets for me, is West Fifteenth Street, the street where I grew up. That street remains with me. It lives in my memory like an old song. It reminds me who I was before the titles, before the accomplishments, before the responsibilities of adulthood settled onto my shoulders.
For me, Covington has never simply been a place on a map. It has always been a living archive of memory, struggle, resilience, hope, and transformation. It is the city that raised me. It is the city that challenged me. It is the city that continues to shape how I see the world and how I choose to serve within it.
That is why I am proud to be seeking re-election to the Covington Independent School Board. Not because the position itself matters more than the people it serves but because I still believe deeply in the promise of Covington’s children and because the work before us is not finished.
Serving during my first term has been one of the most meaningful responsibilities of my life. It has allowed me to advocate for students who sometimes feel unseen inside larger systems. It has allowed me to support teachers who continue showing up every day despite increasing pressures placed upon public education. It has allowed me to participate in conversations that directly impact the future of our schools, our neighborhoods, and ultimately our community.
And while I am proud of the work we have done, I also understand clearly that there is still significant work ahead.
Public education across Kentucky is standing at a crossroads. School districts throughout the Commonwealth are wrestling with learning loss, staffing shortages, mental health concerns, political tension, financial pressures, and growing questions about how we prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Covington is not immune to those realities. We have felt them deeply within our own district. But what I have learned during my time on the board is that challenges do not erase possibility. In fact, they often reveal who is truly willing to fight for it.
I am running again because I believe leadership during difficult moments matters. Thoughtful leadership matters. Transparent leadership matters. Leadership that listens matters. Leadership that understands that every decision made inside a board room eventually reaches a child sitting inside a classroom matters and perhaps most importantly, I am running again because my commitment to Covington is deeply personal.
I am a Covington kid.
Though I did not begin my educational journey inside public schools, I eventually attended Holmes High School and proudly graduated with the Class of 1995. Long before that, before my years attending several of Covington’s Catholic schools, I was also a proud graduate of Head Start here in Northern Kentucky. People sometimes forget how much those early educational experiences shape a child’s life.
But I remember them.
I remember the teachers who saw possibility in me before I fully saw it in myself. I remember mentors who challenged me to think bigger than my circumstances. I remember navigating the uncertainty that so many young people experience while trying to understand who they are becoming. Those moments mattered. Those people mattered. Because of that, I understand firsthand how important it is for children to feel supported, encouraged, protected, and believed in.
My roots in Covington stretch back far beyond my own childhood.
My grandfather was born on Greenup Street just across the street from the historic Lincoln-Grant School, a place that carries enormous significance within the story of Black education in our city. That history matters to me because it reminds me that education has always been connected to struggle, access, dignity, and opportunity. My family, both close and extended, has been in Covington for more than a century.
Think about that for a moment.
For over one hundred years, my family has lived within the rhythms of this city. We have witnessed its triumphs and its hardships. We have watched neighborhoods evolve. We have watched generations grow older. We have celebrated victories here. We have buried loved ones here. We have continued building life here. Covington is where I live and is part of my identity.
And in many ways, when I walk into Holmes High school today, I still see pieces of myself sitting inside those classrooms. I see the kid trying to discover where they belongs. I see the kid carrying dreams that feel larger than thier environment. I see the kid navigating obstacles that adults around them may never fully understand. I see the kid who needs someone to say, “Your future matters.”
That perspective continues to guide how I approach this work. Because education is about far more than data points and test scores.
Yes, academic achievement matters. We must continue working aggressively to improve outcomes across our district. We must continue addressing literacy, student performance, and long-term academic success. Those conversations are critical but children are not machines built simply to produce scores. They are human beings and the best educational environments understand how to nurture the whole child.
I believe our district must continue building a long-term vision that balances academic rigor with emotional support, creativity, critical thinking, mentorship, and community connection. Young people deserve an education that prepares them not only to graduate, but to navigate life with confidence, empathy, and imagination.
As a U.S. Army veteran, entrepreneur, advocate for education, creative, and someone deeply involved in the arts and community development, I have consistently pushed for opportunities that expose students to experiences beyond traditional classroom structures because the arts matter. Creativity matters. Literacy matters. Career readiness matters. Mental wellness matters. Mentorship matters. Exposure matters.
Sometimes a single opportunity can completely alter the trajectory of a young person’s life. Sometimes a child simply needs access to an experience that helps them see themselves differently. That is why I have continued advocating for programs and partnerships that allow students to explore who they are and who they might become.
Covington itself is a beautifully diverse city with beautifully diverse needs. That diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Every child who enters our schools arrives carrying a different story, different challenges, different talents, and different hopes for the future. One child is no more important than another. Every student deserves to feel valued. Every student deserves to feel safe. Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed regardless of neighborhood, background, ability, or circumstance. That belief continues to guide me as both a board member and community advocate.
I also believe leadership requires presence that is not just performative but also freakishly authentic which requires that leaders not only show up but also show out. Throughout my time on the board, I have worked to remain engaged within the community by attending school events, partnering with local organizations, listening to families, and maintaining conversations with educators and residents throughout the district for the simple fact that public service should never become disconnected from the people being served. At its best, leadership is relational. It is built upon trust. It is built upon consistency. It is built upon visibility during both celebration and difficulty.
I will be the first to say that no leadership journey is perfect but I have always tried to approach this role with integrity, humility, compassion, and honesty about the challenges before us.
Ultimately, the continued success of Covington depends heavily upon the strength of our schools. Strong public schools help create stronger neighborhoods. They help strengthen local economies. They help reduce cycles of poverty. They help shape healthier communities and they help young people imagine futures for themselves that may not yet feel visible. When we invest in children, we invest directly into the future of our city. That is why this work matters so deeply.
And that is why I am running again.
Not because the road ahead will be easy, but because our children deserve leaders willing to continue doing the work even when the work becomes difficult. I remain hopeful about what Covington is striving to become and I remain committed to helping move our district forward while still holding space for gratitude for the opportunity to continue serving the city that helped shape my life.
At the end of the day, beneath the titles and responsibilities, I am still that same Covington kid carrying dreams down West Fifteenth Street. Only now, I have the opportunity to help make sure the next generation of Covington kids can carry their dreams even further.
Kareem A. Simpson is a founder of SparkLight Creative Group. After graduating from Holmes High School, he served in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Branch where he worked as a Korean linguist. He later earned an associate’s degree in Fine Arts from Monterey Peninsula College. He has been actively involved in the community, working with the Kenton County Public Library, the NKY Community Action Commission, Partners for Change, The Carnegie, the Kenton County Planning Commission and the Northern Kentucky Branch of the NAACP. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which is “Hidden History of Black Cincinnati,” which is available at Roebling Book stores. See more here.