Imara Crooms is a movement-rooted organizer and democracy professional running for Prince George’s County Council, District 9. For over 15 years, he has led governance, anti-corruption and civil society efforts globally, specializing in making local institutions transparent and accountable to the public. Locally, Imara has been a dedicated advocate for the working class, fighting for issues from equality and human rights to labor and healthcare, consistently he’s worked to empower people over corporate interests. As a candidate utilizing the Fair Election Fund, Imara is proving that local leadership can be independent and driven by community rather than powerful moneyed interests. He aligns with the movement for structural renewals, such as ranked-choice voting, to ensure every voter's voice is heard. Imara lives on a farm in Upper Marlboro with his wife and is running to move the Council away from top-down mandates toward a system that truly serves South County. He is committed to ensuring District 9 remains a sustainable and healthy home for future generations.

Policy Objectives

1. Expanding and Normalizing Fair Elections: My primary objective is to move Prince George’s County from its current developer-driven political culture to a resident-driven one. I am committed to broadening the Fair Election Fund to ensure public financing becomes the new norm. I will advocate for increasing the matching funds available to grassroots candidates and lowering the barriers to entry so that any resident can run for office. By making this system permanent and robust, I believe we can break the cycle of pay-to-play and ensure that the Council answers only to the people.

2. Accountable, Transparent Governance & Board Reform: Transparency is a prerequisite for trust. I will champion the return to a fully elected Board of Education to restore direct accountability to families and educators. Additionally, I will bring my anti-corruption expertise to the Council to create an Open Meetings & Ethics Reform package that ends backroom deals and ensures that public dollars are never again treated as a "windfall" for political insiders.

3. Defending the Rural Tier from Industrial Encroachment: Preserving the character of District 9 is a non-negotiable priority. I will fight the "dumping" of harmful, energy-intensive industries like hyper-scale data centers into our residential and agricultural neighborhoods. By protecting the Rural Tier, we aren't just saving land, we are protecting our power grid, our infrastructure, and water quality, while ensuring that we invest in our future over a quick buck.

4. Transit Equity & Neighborhood Resilience: I will prioritize community-driven transit, not just more roads for commuters, but better bus frequency, dignified shelters, and fare-free initiatives that serve our essential workers. Coupled with this is a commitment to climate resilience: I will secure funding for stormwater infrastructure to protect our South County neighborhoods from the increasing threat of flooding and runoff caused by outdated planning.

5. Working Class Prosperity: I will protect the workers who build our county by mandating Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and Labor Peace Agreements. When we invest public wealth, it must result in living-wage union careers and safer, healthier neighborhoods for everyone.

Education Background

• Associates of Sciences: Social Sciences - Essex County College

• Bachelor’s of Arts: Political Science - Rutgers University

• Master’s of Arts: Democracy & Governance - Georgetown University