Feisty Female Friday: Cherelle Parker

The FFF this week is Cherelle Parker.

Cherelle is an American politician and former teacher now serving as the 100th mayor of Philadelphia. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first Black woman to hold the office. She was born in Northwest Philadelphia to an unmarried teenage mother. When her mother died, she was raised by her grandparents. As a senior in HS, she won a citywide oratorical competition and was introduced to Philadelphia City Council member Marian Tasco, who hired her as an intern. Chirelle graduated from Lincoln University, the first person in her family to do so. She worked briefly as a HS English and ESL teacher and then returned to Tasco's office, where she worked for a decade.

She won a special election in the PA House to fill an open seat, becoming the youngest Black woman ever elected, remaining in that office for ten years, and for five years was chair of the Philadelphia delegation. While serving in the PA House, Cherelle supported many tax fairness laws, Act 75, and other laws which made it harder to buy and sell illegal guns. She became a member and Democratic leader of the Philadelphia City Council leading the passage of the "Philly First Home" program, graduated with a degree in Public Administration, and next served on the DRPA Board.

Cherelle resigned from the City Council and announced her candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia, focusing on crime and public safety. She won the election but was not formally sworn in until January 2nd to avoid conflicting with the Mummers Parade, an annual New Year’s Day tradition in Philadelphia.

Under Cherelle’s administration, tax rates have remained steady and property tax relief programs were expanded, and budget increases were set for code enforcement and sanitation programs. She also increased the allocation of real estate taxes that go toward the schools, offered more aid to first time homebuyers, and embraced a tough on crime approach. Cherelle also embraces the “One Philly, a United City” philosophy to keep the city “Safer, Cleaner, Greener.”

She received an honorary degree from Rosemont College and most recently had the history panels restored to the Independence Mall area after being removed by the federal government.

Cherelle is married, has one son, and lives in Philadelphia.