Key Facts
Background
Yugonda Sample-Jones worked as an Account Specialist in a call center in 2010 and formed a program called “Royals” to promote self-image and community service among young women, partnering with Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. In 2015, she became President of Heritage High School PTSA.
In 2018, she worked as a teacher at a local alternative school for students with behavioral health conditions. Sample-Jones also graduated from the Virginia Progressive Leadership Project and was elected as the Vice President of the Newport News branch of the NAACP. Sample-Jones graduated from the Newport News Leadership Series I & II to learn local civics and history. Sample-Jones then served as a liaison for the Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) Planning grant. Afterwards, she started work as an AmeriCorps Vista for the Corporation for National and Community Service and was later employed by the Hampton Roads Community Action Program.
In 2019, Sample-Jones created EmPower All, a community consulting firm [1, 8] and became Vice President of the Newport News Neighborhood Watch [2]. She currently serves on the Newport News Board of Zoning Appeals [3, 5]. In addition, she serves as the Newport News Neighborhood Watch Coalition president and the co-chair of the CNI Citizens Advisory Committee [2, 3].
Key Issues
Economy
Sample-Jones wants to improve the lack of technical support to grow entrepreneurial passions into sustainable small businesses. She wants to continue the “Your Voice Matters” monthly town hall meetings to connect neighbors with business opportunities and facilitate the sharing of available resources [2].
Education
Sample-Jones supports full funding of teachers, students, and school communities [2].
Government
Sample-Jones supports an inclusive and transparent government that communicates clearly. She wants residents’ voices to be heard in policy-making to build trust [2].
Gun Policy
Sample-Jones supports a gun buyback program to address gun violence [2].
Housing
Sample-Jones wants to allow local contractors to revitalize large amounts of property that have been unused and to increase the housing stock. She supports collaboration with the city manager’s office to resolve residents’ housing concerns [2].
Endorsements
Moms Demand Action
Sources
1 Yugonda Sample-Jones for Newport News City Council
2 LinkedIn
3 HappeningNext
4 EmPower All
5 Newport News
6 Facebook: Yugonda Sample-Jones for…
7 Facebook: Yugonda Sample-Jones
8 WAVY