Cherelle Parker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cherelle Parker
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| 100th Mayor of Philadelphia | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Kenney |
| Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the 9th district |
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| In office January 4, 2016 – September 7, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Marian B. Tasco |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Phillips |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 200th district |
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| In office September 13, 2005 – December 31, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | LeAnna Washington |
| Succeeded by | Tonyelle Cook-Artis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 9, 1972 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Ben Mullins
(m. 2010, divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
| Residences | Mount Airy, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | Lincoln University (BS) University of Pennsylvania (MPA) |
Cherelle Lesley Parker (born September 9, 1972) is an American politician. She became the 100th mayor of Philadelphia in 2024. She is the first woman to ever hold this important job.
Before becoming mayor, Parker served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2005 to 2015. She then became a member of the Philadelphia City Council in 2015. She was re-elected in 2019 and was even the majority leader for her political party from 2020 to 2022.
In 2022, Parker decided to run for mayor. She won the election in November 2023 and started her term in January 2024.
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Growing Up and School
Cherelle Parker was born in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia. Her mother passed away when Cherelle was 11 years old. After that, her grandparents raised her. Her grandfather was a Navy veteran, and her grandmother worked in people's homes.
In 1990, when she was in high school, Cherelle won a city-wide speaking contest. This led to her meeting Marian B. Tasco, a City Council member. Ms. Tasco hired Cherelle as an intern, which was a great start to her career in public service.
Parker went to Lincoln University and graduated in 1994. For a short time, she worked as a high school English teacher in New Jersey. But soon, she returned to work for Councilmember Tasco, where she learned a lot about how the city works.
Her Career in Government
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After working for Councilmember Tasco for ten years, Cherelle Parker decided to run for office herself. In 2005, she won a special election to join the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She became the youngest Black woman ever elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. She served there for ten years.
When Councilmember Tasco retired in 2015, she encouraged Parker to run for her seat on the Philadelphia City Council. Parker won the election with strong support. As a City Council member, she helped create the "Philly First Home" program. This program helps people buy their first homes by assisting with down payments and closing costs.
In 2020, Parker became the majority leader for her party on the City Council. This meant she played a big role in leading her party's efforts. In 2021, she was also chosen to lead the board for the Delaware River Port Authority.
Running for Mayor in 2023
In September 2022, Cherelle Parker announced she would run for Mayor of Philadelphia. She wanted to lead the city.
Primary Election
First, she had to win the primary election against other candidates from her own party. Parker was seen as a moderate candidate. She won the Democratic primary election on May 16, 2023. She received a lot of support from different neighborhoods in the city.
General Election
After winning the primary, Parker faced David Oh, a Republican, in the general election.
At first, Parker did not agree to debate Mr. Oh. But later, she changed her mind and participated in an interview with him. They even answered questions from children at the Please Touch Museum about their ideas for Philadelphia. Parker said she wanted Philadelphia to be the "safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in the nation, with economic opportunity for all."
On election day, Parker won with 75% of the votes. She officially became mayor on January 1, 2024. Her swearing-in ceremony was held on January 2, so it wouldn't conflict with the annual Mummers Parade on New Year's Day.
Mayor of Philadelphia
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As mayor, Cherelle Parker started working on her plans for Philadelphia. One of her first actions was to ask city employees to return to working full-time in their offices.
City Budget Plans
In March 2024, Mayor Parker shared her ideas for the city's budget. She suggested giving more money to the police department to improve safety. She also proposed more funding for cleaning up the city and making it greener. Her plan included increasing the amount of real estate tax that goes to the School District of Philadelphia.
Mayor Parker also supported the idea of a new arena for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.
Her Ideas for Philadelphia
Education
Mayor Parker believes in making schools better for students. In 2023, she suggested that schools should be open for longer hours each day. She also thought about having year-round schooling. She said that children are no longer working on farms in the summer, so they can spend more time learning. She proposed a pilot program for this idea.
Public Safety
Parker's plans for public safety are focused on being "tough on crime." She wants to hire more police officers to make the city safer. She supports using certain police tactics to help prevent crime.
Personal Life
Cherelle Parker is married to Ben Mullins. They live in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. They have a son named Langston, who was named after the famous writer Langston Hughes.
See also
- List of members of Philadelphia City Council since 1952
