MEL #035 | From Electrical Engineering to City Leadership through Purpose-Driven Service with Paul Young
Description
In this episode I speak with Paul Young. Mayor of The City of Memphis, Tennessee.
Mayor Young was inspired to pursue engineering after watching A Different World, a late-1980s/early-1990s television sitcom set at the fictional Hillman College that explored college life, social issues, and Black culture, and became especially influential for inspiring young viewers to pursue higher education and professional careers. He earned his degree in electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee, but soon realized he was drawn more to community development.
A pivotal sermon from his mother led him to pursue a graduate degree in city and regional planning, which laid the foundation for his career in rebuilding neighborhoods and eventually serving as Mayor of the City of Memphis.
In our leadership segment, Mayor Young talks about being confronted with widespread scrutiny over the arrival of Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer project, a development covered extensively in the local press. Balancing environmental concerns, economic opportunity, and community trust, he is navigating heated public debate while standing firm in his values—a timely example of leadership under the spotlight of real-world headlines.
Mayor Young emphasizes that leadership is not about titles but about filling gaps in organizations, treating people with respect, and building a reputation that inspires others to advocate for you—even when you’re not in the room.
Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/.
United States
