Mayor Cherelle Parker was sworn in on Tuesday as Philadelphia’s 100th mayor and became the first woman and Black woman to hold the job. NBC10’s Lauren Mayk has what the day entailed and meant for Mayor Parker and more.
Cherelle Parker made history on Tuesday.
The 51-year-old Parker, a former city councilwoman -- who also served for 10 years as a state representative for northwest Philadelphia -- became the city's 100th mayor on Tuesday.
The Democrat is also the first woman -- and first Black woman, as well -- to serve as mayor.
The importance of the day wasn't lost on Parker.
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"While I do stand here as the one-hundredth mayor of the city of Philadelphia, the sixth largest city, the birthplace of democracy, I want you to know that I only get the opportunity to meet this moment because of each and every one of you and for that I'm extremely grateful," Parker said to cheers. "Philadelphia, thank you for allowing me to be me, it's something I will never forget."
After she was introduced by actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and sworn in by Marcia L. Fudge, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Parker took the stage to acknowledge what others have done as mayors in the past.
"I, Cherelle Parker, was a child who most people thought would never succeed. And they really did almost have me thinking the same thing," she recalled.
She also remembered being the daughter of a teenage mother and being raised by her grandparents. She said it was her family, and the community, who helped guide her and make her the woman she is today.
And, Parker said, she believed her mother, grandparent and others who couldn't be at the day's ceremony, were still finding a way to celebrate.
"I believe that right now, at this very moment, and I mean this with all my heart and spirit, there is a block party going on in heaven right now," Parker said.
On the day she took office, Parker's administration released an outline of what she hopes to accomplish in her first 100 days in office -- something she alluded to, and even made sure people in the audience had a copy of, during her remarks on Tuesday.
"The reason you have a copy of it is because it is a commitment to you," she said. "And that means, I'm going to get it done because we gave our word."
She promised, in those first 100 days, to increase the number of police officers on the city streets in order to support public safety.
She also discussed executive orders that she intended to sign Tuesday afternoon, including one that would officially declare a public safety emergency in the City of Philadelphia.
"I want the world to know that I am fully committed to ending this sense of lawlessness, and bringing order back to our city – and a sense of lawfulness. End lawlessness, bring order back and a sense of lawfulness, right here in our city," she said.
She also noted that her first 100 days would focus on efforts to make it easier for businesses to operate in the city, a "one front door" process for city residents to access home improvement programs, the development of a strategy for out-of-school programs and job opportunities for students outside regular school hours and other initiatives.
Parker defeated Republican former city councilmember David Oh, in November, and has recently been steadily naming members of her administration.
In her speech, Parker noted the moves she made before taking office were intended to fill her administration with staff members who, she said, have a 'can do" spirit.
"We must rid our city of this culture of 'no,' in everything that we are trying to achieve," Parker said. "We must have a mindset of, 'How are we going to do, what I call, GTY. How do we get to yes?'"
Most recently, on Thursday, Parker named Adam Geer for the city's first-ever Chief Public Safety Director and First Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy of the city's Fire Department as acting fire commissioner.
Along with hiring the city's first-ever Chief Public Safety Director, Parker has also announced that her administration will include, what she has called a "kitchen cabinet" roundtable made up of elected officials including members of City Council, several state senators and state representatives, officials from city agencies as well as Pennsylvania senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman.
Also, earlier in December, Parker named Tiffany Thurman, as her chief of staff along with several other leadership team appointments.
Back in November, Parker named Kevin Bethel -- a longtime veteran of the city's police force and head of safety of the Philadelphia School District -- as Philadelphia's new police commissioner.
Bethel will be sworn in Tuesday afternoon.
Also, shortly before Parker took her oath of office, City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, of the city's 2nd councilmanic district, was named the new president of City Council.
“We have an opportunity to do something special as we work to improve the quality of life for everybody who lives within the City of Philadelphia," he said, in his comments on Tuesday.
Johnson is replacing former longtime City Councilman and former council president, Darrell Clarke, who retired after serving the city for more than two decades.
In discussing his focus for his time atop City Council, Johnson said he wants to focus on investing in the city's youth, fighting housing insecurity and pushing back against Philadelphia's history as "the poorest big city in America."
But, most of all, Johnson said, he wants to see a drastic decrease in gun violence in the city.
“As long as I have breath in my lungs I will continue to fight and advocate for solutions until the epidemic of gun violence is totally eliminated and we create a city of peace not guns," said Johnson.
On Sunday, the now former mayor, Jim Kenney, released a statement to thank city residents after spending two terms in the role.
"It has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to serve as the mayor of this great city. Thank you for this significant opportunity and for all you do for Philadelphia as members of your community," Kenney wrote in a statement. "I write to you on the eve of an historic milestone for our city, as we prepare to welcome my friend and colleague, Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker, to this esteemed office. I have the utmost confidence in Mayor-elect Parker, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to serving the people of Philadelphia time and again throughout her impressive career.
"Our city and its future are in great hands," Kenny concluded.
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