September 20 2017

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The Chronicle

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Profiles on Mayoral candidates Shea Ramirez and Sylvester Williams Page 2

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 DUKECHRONICLE.COM

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 14

DURHAM’S NEXT MAYOR

Bre Bradham | Staff Photographer

From left to right: Farad Ali, Pierce Freelon, Shea Ramirez, Steve Schewel and Sylvester Williams.

MAYORAL CANDIDATE PROFILES

Pierce Freelon

Farad Ali

Steve Schewel

By Grace Mok

By Grace Mok

By Isabelle Doan

Contributing Reporter

Contributing Reporter

University News Editor

As one of Durham’s six mayoral candidates, Pierce Freelon sees himself as a bridge builder between generations and as an advocate for intersectional growth. Born and raised in Durham, Freelon has had numerous involvements with the local and regional community, such as teaching courses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founding Blackspace, a digital maker space for people to learn about music, and serving on local boards such as the North Carolina Arts Council.

Farad Ali has a background in business diversity consulting, which he wants to use to push forth a vision of “One Durham” as one of Durham’s six mayoral candidates. Ali—a former city council member—seeks to increase civic engagement and bring together diverse sectors and people in the Durham community. He said he decided to enter the mayoral race after speaking with his family, friends, current Durham mayor Bill Bell and Mayor Pro Tempore Cora Cole-McFadden. He has thus far secured endorsements from two of the city’s most powerful political action committees—the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People and the Friends of Durham. “Durham today [is] going through a big growth, [but] with a focus on equity and a desire to have some smart growth and inclusion,” Ali said. “I thought I could be an asset to the city as mayor... ‘One Durham’ allows us to focus on the benefits of having a city that’s so diverse and using that diversity to inspire change and create innovation.”

In Spring 19­72, Duke undergraduates decided to elect Steve Schewel, Trinity ’73, as their student body president. This fall, a new generation of Duke students is faced with that decision again—this time, as Schewel runs for mayor of Durham. Since earning his undergraduate degree from Duke, Schewel has maintained strong ties with the University and Durham. Schewel went on to receive his Ph.D. in Education from Duke in 1982, and was a visiting assistant professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy from 2000 until last semester. He has also been on several boards and councils around Durham, most notably as a member of the Durham City Council since 2011. Schewel wants to address three issues in Durham in his platform for mayor—how to make sure everyone is included as Durham prospers, how to project Durham’s values into the world and how to maintain the small-city quality of life as Durham grows.

‘On the cusp of growth’ “Our platform principles are community, growth and youth,” Freelon said. “We need jobs, safe and non-threatening streets and affordable housing for all of Durham’s residents. We need to continue to be on the cusp of growth in sustainable and equitycentered ways.” Freelon named combatting racial disparities in the criminal justice system and identifying the disparate impacts of Durham’s recent growth as important issues in his campaign. He said Durham’s poverty rate for black and Latinx youth is “staggering” and pointed to the more than 800 evictions in the city per month as evidence of Durham’s high income inequality. “[Durham has] the highest income inequality in the state of North Carolina,” he said. “These are some serious issues that require some bold, creative and visionary leadership.” Although none of the three major political action committees in Durham—Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People,

‘One Durham’ Since 2014, Ali has served as the president and CEO of the Institute, a Durham-based consulting and services firm focused on business diversity. He also chairs the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board, in addition to sitting on a number of other local boards. From 2007 to 2011, he served on the Durham City Council. Tyrone Baines, a supporter of Ali and the founder of the NCCU Public Administration Program, praised Ali’s commitment to

Duke in Durham He noted that the first issue is making sure that “the city we love is a city for all.” This includes affordable housing, the kinds of jobs residents have and transportation to these jobs, as well as the wages that they are paid, he said. Schewel commended Duke for increasing its minimum wage to $15 an hour, emphasizing the huge impact the University would have on Durham as it is the city’s largest employer. However, he noted that Duke could increase its support of the public bus system. Thousands of people are riding the bus to Duke, which

See ALI on Page 4

See SCHEWEL on Page 16

See FREELON on Page 4 INSIDE — News 2 | Sports 11 | Crossword 13 | Opinion 14 | Serving the University since 1905 |

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