Cherelle Parker publicly sworn in as Philadelphia's 100th mayor
Cherelle Parker, who held local and state office and first became involved in politics as a teenager, publicly took her oath of office as Philadelphia's 100th mayor on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to do so.
The 51-year-old Democrat with years of political experience took the helm of the nation's sixth-largest city during a ceremony at the historic Met in Philadelphia. She succeeds Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney for a limited term.
“By every conceivable statistic, I should not be standing here today,” Parker told supporters gathered for her approximately hour-long speech. “I, Cherelle Parker, was a kid that most people thought would never make it. And they almost made me think the same thing.”
Surrounded by family, friends, former mayors and current U.S. and state lawmakers and officials, Parker reiterated her campaign promise: to make Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, and greenest major city in the country that will provide access to economic opportunity for everyone.”
Parker had emerged as the only leading black candidate early in the crowded mayoral race and surged to victory in the heavily Democratic city's November election. Parker's moderate message resonated with voters increasingly concerned about public safety and quality of life, from faulty streetlights to potholes and trash collection. She also promised a well-trained police force engaged in the community, along with mental health and behavioral support.
Parker served as state representative for northwest Philadelphia for 10 years before being elected to the City Council in 2015. She said she was a leader whose experience in government would allow her to address the city's gaping problems.
On the attendees' chairs was an action plan outlining her intentions, which Parker promised was a commitment. And to the naysayers who might sow doubt before she starts, she asked supporters to tell them, “Don't throw shade on my Philly shine.”
She promised in her remarks that — in her first 100 days — she would announce a plan to increase the number of Philadelphia police officers on the streets, who would act “as guards, not as warriors,” she said. She also said she would make a public statement. security emergency to drive resources into neighborhoods, keeping an eye on crime, gun violence and addiction.
Parker tapped her new police chief in November, who she said will address the city's pressing concerns.
She vowed not to shy away from difficult decisions, and acknowledged that she had heard criticism during the campaign that she lacked compassion in dealing with addiction.
“We're going to have a data-driven and research-based approach put together by the best law enforcement and public health professionals we can find,” she said. “But I want you to know that not everyone will be happy when we make these decisions.
Her government promised to remove some barriers to jobs in the city, such as college degree requirements. She also announced plans to keep school buildings open longer; review the city's Lank Bank to better understand the development of city properties to make way for more affordable housing; reducing the administrative burden of doing business in the city; and a new approach to solving the city's problems with dumping, litter, abandoned cars and potholes.
“This opportunity to deliver meaningful results for the city of Philadelphia – not just for the next four years, but for the work we are doing now – should be a foundation for the future,” she said. “I'm not talking about incremental change. I'm talking about bold transformative steps so that when people leave their homes, they can touch, see and feel the results of our labor. If they don't see it, it's our fault.”
Across the state in Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, the state's second-largest city, Sara Innamorato was sworn in as county executive on Tuesday. Innamorato is also the first woman to fill this role and, she joked, perhaps the first with tattoos. She won with a progressive campaign that envisioned a green, sustainable city “made and run by unions,” while compassionately tackling issues of poverty, crime and addiction.
Dressed all in white – a nod to the suffragettes – she promised: “In my government, the priorities of the community will be the priorities of the province.”
The reality, she told supporters, is that there are people in the province who have vastly different experiences.
“In too many cases, these disparities arise from shortcomings in our approach to the economy, social services and justice,” she said. “Now we don't have to be ashamed of these facts and where we fall short, but we do have to acknowledge it. We must become comfortable identifying, naming, and understanding injustices because only then can we eradicate them, restore our foundations, and rebuild on a stronger foundation.”