Cherelle Parker to be sworn in as Philadelphia's first female mayor
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Cherelle Parker will be sworn in Tuesday as Philadelphia's 100th mayor.
Why it matters: Parker, a Democrat, will become the city's first female chief executive as it faces a slew of challenges including high levels of gun violence and poverty.
Driving the news: The inauguration kicks off at 10am at The Met Philadelphia, where the 17-member City Council, sheriff, judges and other officials also will be sworn in.
- Plus: Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson is expected to be elected the new council president by his peers.
What she's saying: Parker tells Axios that her top priority upon entering office is the health and wellness of city residents.
- But she cautioned that her vision of making Philly the safest, cleanest and greenest big city in the U.S. will take time.
- "I am, however, confident that we are assembling the right team to make that vision a reality."
Context: A moderate and political insider from Northwest Philly, Parker turned calls for tough-on-crime policies and strong ties to the building trades into a win during last year's Democratic primary and general election.
- Parker highlighted on the campaign trail her humble beginnings, noting she was born to a single teenage mother and raised by her grandmother who collected welfare.
Between the lines: A former city councilmember and 10-year veteran of the state house, Parker is a meticulous planner whom some have previously criticized as a micromanager of development issues at the neighborhood level.
The intrigue: During the campaign, Parker called for hiring more police, year-round public education and potentially deploying the National Guard to shut down Kensington's open-air drug markets.
Zoom in: Parker has been filling out her leadership team ahead of her inauguration.
- She named Kevin Bethel as the city's new police commissioner and Adam Geer as chief public safety director.
- Adam Thiel, Philly's former fire commissioner, will serve as her managing director, acting as the city's COO to oversee agencies.
- Carlton Williams, former Streets commissioner, will take on a new role as the director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives.
What to watch: Whether Parker unveils any new big-ticket policy proposals during her inauguration speech.