'I see the crossroads': Cherelle Parker resigns from Philadelphia City Council, plans to run for Mayor

PHILADELPHIA - Cherelle Parker has resigned from City Council and announced her intentions to run for Philadelphia's Mayor, making her the latest council member to throw her hat in the bid for the city's top leadership position. 

In her resignation letter to Council President Darrell L. Clarke, Parker said, "Serving the people of Philadelphia - first as a Council intern then staffer, then as a State Representative, where I led the Philadelphia delegation, and now as a Councilperson and the Council Majority Leader - has been one of the greatest honors of my lifetime, after having my son Langston." 

"I am humbled by the fact that I was allowed the privilege of representing the mighty 9th Council District, and I am proud of the work I did to solve problems for the residents of both my District and the City of Philadelphia," the letter continued. 

Parker says she sees where Philadelphia stands as a city and identified the type of leader she thinks it needs. 

"Like many people across Philadelphia, I see the crossroads at which our city is standing. I know that our future has the potential to shine so bright, but it is not yet written. We can have a city where people in every neighborhood feel safe; we can have a city government that provides world-class services and clean communities free of trash and blight; and we can build an economy that works for everyone, from skyscrapers to rowhomes, and everywhere in between. But we only get there if our leaders understand the paths and its challenges," she said. "As we look to the future, Philadelphians need a leader who will put ego aside and sincerely engage those with whom they disagree in order to find compromise, and to address difficult problems for the good of the city. Philadelphians need someone who can not only lead, but also inspire all of us to be better than we ever thought possible." 

Parker was a strong critic of Mayor Jim Kenney's comments that he was looking forward to the time he'd no longer be the mayor, calling them asinine. 

Her announcement comes days after Councilmembers Maria Quiñones Sánchez and Derek Green resigned and announced their candidacy.

The candidates have more than a year before the election, which is set to be held on November 7, 2023, and the elected winner will begin serving in 2024.