Rick Jackson isn't as 'self-made' a man as his TV ads want you to believe

<p>Georgia Humanities&#39; President Mary McCartin Wearn wrote<a href="https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/09/opinion-rick-jackson-claims-to-be-a-self-made-man-lets-unpack-this-myth/?gift_article_code=STlRRHBEeDJpSG8yWkxfcXFBOWZiUTBKVWcweE10enAtQ19wYjRWaURqNDoxNzkzMzY1NzY3OjA2ODJlNGEzZjQ5YTQzYmY&utm_campaign=articlegifting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong> a salient op-ed for the Atlanta Journal Constitution</strong></a> that fills in a lot of gaps in Rick Jackson&#39;s made-for-TV (ads) autobiography. </p><p>From Team Jackson, you&#39;d believe, he singularly overcame his broken family, alcoholic mother, being a foster child and living in Techwood Homes, without much mention of (as the AJC detailed in a<a href="https://specials.myajc.com/self-made-philanthropist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong> 2015 biography of Jackson</strong></a>) the disabled uncle (on public assistance) that aided the young Rick&#39;s pathway to safety or the foster parents (surely with state foster system funds to assist) there for him or that - yeah - he lived at Techwood Homes, but that it was public housing (pre-dating integration, so it was all-white). </p><p>For Rick, &quot;it took a village.&quot; You wouldn&#39;t come away with that impression from his splashy TV ads, though. Yet I have to wonder: if any of the young people featured as beneficiaries of his benevolence later ran for office and touted themselves in the same manner (and left him out of the TV ads), would he not take umbrage?</p><p>=+=+=+=</p><p>Meanwhile, Rick&#39;s opponent - former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms - is having to find some media space with a big marketing deficit (and precious little air time to even buy up) so she sat for interviews with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja8_TvumyYE&t=235s&pp=ygUgS2Vpc2hhIExhbmNlIEJvdHRvbXMgVGhlIFRha2VvdXQ%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Major Garrett on CBS News&#39; &#39;Takeout&#39;</strong></a> and with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emzftbp8fuM&pp=ygUiS2Vpc2hhIExhbmNlIEJvdHRvbXMgWmFjayBNZXJjaGFudA%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>WXIA-TV (11 Alive) and journalist Zack Merchant</strong></a> to provide context for her years as mayor. </p>