Pierce Freelon and Family photo after City Council Ward 3 Announcement of his appointment

Council voted 4-2 to appoint Pierce Freelon to their Ward 3 vacancy.

Freelon will be sworn-in later this week during a socially-distanced ceremony at City Hall, and will take his seat on the Council for his first meeting on Tuesday, September 8, which is their next regular business meeting.

“Among an exceptionally strong field of candidates, Pierce Freelon emerged as the Council’s choice because he is generous, brave, straightforward, incredibly knowledgeable on the issues that face us, and a powerful voice for the new generation of Durham residents who are taking on the mantle of leadership in our city now,” said Mayor Steve Schewel. “Pierce is a passionate champion of Durham. His connection to the young people he mentors is amazing. His work on behalf of our artists is exemplary. His voice in defense of Black Lives is powerful and necessary. He will be a great colleague and public servant.”

 

 

Phil-Freelon-RIP with spouse Nena Freelon

Today the great Phil Freelon passed away. A brilliant & accomplished man who leads with love. . Durham, & the world as a whole, is a better place because of him. Please hold the Freelon family in your hearts. . In lieu of flowers, it is his wish that sustaining donations be made to he & Nnenna Freelon’s legacy @northstardurham. .

“Love is the only thing that when you give it away you have more of it.” Phil Freelon ♥️. 

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Pierce in Chengdu, China

piercefreelon

Chengdu is a beautiful 5,000 year old city. Feeling blessed to share a slice of Durham with the people of China. Thanks for inviting me to speak @sound_diplomacy looking forward to more collaborations!
 

Headed to China next week to talk @sound_diplomacy in Chengdu. Durham has a vibrant cultural scene, and folks around the globe are interested in how we hold space for young voices to resonate throughout our community. Honored to represent the Bull City on this international stage! 📸 @8bit.photog at @northstardurham 

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This is great news for our city. I vividly recall watching Pierce perform with his UNC beats group on the DPAC lawn stage, 4 years back (a fundraiser for Art of Cool project). We all know that Pierce, a former Political Science professor, comes from a family of renown in Durham yet he is his own young man. Perhaps Pierce is precisley what Durham needs most right now: a new perspective, grounded in family values, with significant ties to the downtown Durham community.