“You da Man!”
Those are the words Fannie Lewis yelled to me as my sister and I left her Hough home. We had been there early one Saturday morning to do a profile of the powerful Cleveland City Council member for both ClevelandSeniors.com and ClevelandWomen.com.
It was very early in the morning and Fannie was still dressed in her nightgown but she was busy working the phones as people from her neighborhood called for help. Watching her work the phones was impressive. She was decisive, firm and no-nonsense but she was also compassionate.
You could tell that her life as councilwoman in Hough was a 24x7 job. And that she loved it and the people of her Ward and the city of Cleveland.
After the interview, she asked about us and our business. She congratulated me for looking after my sister and as I walked off her porch she cried, “You da Man!” I looked back, grinned and waved and as I got into the car across the street she yelled it again.
She had no higher political ambitions – she was focused on the people in her city and especially in her beloved Hough area.
In these times of political corruption and “what’s in it for me” a dedicated, caring public servant like Fannie Lewis was will be harder and harder to find.
She will be missed.
Read our profile of Counciwoman Fannie Lewis
