Mayor Cherelle L. Parker

Cherelle L. Parker is the 100th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. Born to a single teenage mother and raised by her grandparents James and Dorothy Parker, Mayor Parker is a Philadelphia native. It was the power of a village – her family and her community – and their belief in the power of education that gave her the opportunity to -succeed. A graduate of Philadelphia public schools, Mayor Parker was the first person in her family to go to college; earning her bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University where she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., then earning her master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she taught public school as a high school English teacher and ESL teacher working with immigrant children and adults. Inspired to public service by Philadelphia Councilwoman Marian Tasco, whom she interned for, the future mayor worked in Tasco’s office and rose to serve as a senior staffer where she oversaw – among many other things – the implementation of all economic and community development initiatives that helped neighborhoods and business corridors thrive. By the time she left, she was one of Councilwoman Tasco’s most trusted advisors. The future mayor was elected to the State House and served for 10 years representing Northwest Philadelphia, the 200th district. On winning her election, she made history as the youngest African-American woman elected to the State Legislature. In Harrisburg, her colleagues elected her to chair the Philadelphia Delegation, and her leadership in this role earned her a reputation as one of the most effective legislators in Harrisburg. She was elected to City Council in 2015 to represent the 9th Council District and by 2019 was elected by her peers to serve as City Council Majority Leader. In the 2023 mayoral election, Cherelle L. Parker won a highly contested Democratic Primary and General Election to become the 100th Mayor of Philadelphia and the first woman to hold the office. A mom, a teacher, and a strong, experienced leader, Cherelle L. Parker is the first Black woman Mayor of Philadelphia, seeking to create a Safer, Cleaner, Greener city with access to economic opportunity for all. Mayor Parker spends her time outside the office at home in Northwest Philadelphia with her son, Langston, and their dog, Max.