When Philadelphians cast their ballots May 16, we will elect a new mayor and have the most direct say in the future of our city — a city at a crossroads. The person who we elect will need to lead Philadelphia through crises of public safety, poverty, a struggling education system, and the declining sense of the Philly pride that makes our city great.
After suspending my campaign for mayor, I carefully considered which candidate I believe will be the best equipped to lead our city through the next decade and beyond. Like many Philadelphians, I was undecided. I began a process where I evaluated the backgrounds, careers, policies, and campaigns of the most qualified candidates. I personally interviewed each of them.
After this process, one name kept rising to the top of the list: Cherelle Parker. I am voting for — and fully supporting — her to be our next mayor.
Let me explain a little more about why I chose Parker.
Parker is the balanced, tough-on-crime candidate this city needs. Gun violence is the number one issue facing Philadelphians. The solution needs to be a holistic approach that brings back real consequences for owning illegal weapons and adds more crisis-trained police to neighborhood patrols. Parker is the first candidate who put out a neighborhood safety and community policing plan, and the only candidate with a truly comprehensive approach to tackling public safety.
Parker won’t shy away from hard truths: 74% of the victims of gun violence and the shooters look just like me, my son Julian, and her son Langston. We need a mayor who not only understands the fear of parenting a Black child in America but who will speak those fears out loud for every parent — to protect every child. Parker says the things that need to be said and will not tolerate any misuse or abuse by police.
Parker has a real plan to address our education system. Her plan includes year-round education, schools that open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., so children can learn, and parents can afford to work. It includes bringing in the business community and skilled instructors from the building trades to train our kids who aren’t going to college so that they can build rewarding careers. And she has a plan to rebuild our unsafe school buildings.
Parker is a convener: She knows how to bring people from all walks of life, geographies, and political ideologies to the table to hammer out solutions. This is critical if we are going to address the issues facing our city.
The stakes could not be higher. As a city, we need to bring back that Philly pride — and we will — when we make our city the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in America, with opportunities for everyone.
As our very first Madam Mayor, Cherelle Parker is the only candidate who can bring hope and pride back to our city.
Derek S. Green is a lawyer and former councilmember at-large.
Who should be next Philly mayor? Consider this (inquirer.com)
