[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label=”Fullwidth Image Divider” src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/WUNC_divider_web2.gif” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ saved_tabs=”all” \/][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label=”Fullwidth Image” src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/AndyLi_001-1-e1497640596610.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”off” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ alt=”Pierce Freelon stands outside Blackspace\u2019s Durham studio. Freelon hopes to give back to his city as mayor. \u201cI was, you know, born and raised here and this is the city that made me who I am.\u201d (Andy Li\/NextGenRadio)” \/][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title admin_label=”Fullwidth Post Title” title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” featured_placement=”below” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”left” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” title_all_caps=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″]<\/p>\n
Bill Bell is something of a legend around Durham, North Carolina. He has been mayor for 16 years. During his tenure, he has worked to reduce gun violence, advocated for people with disabilities and built programs to get young people to work. At age 76, he\u2019s decided not to seek re-election.<\/p>\n
Pierce Freelon, 33, thinks he can do more.<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked to [Bell\u2019s] daughter the other day. She just kept saying, \u2018Yeah, you got big shoes to fill,\u2019\u201d Freelon says. He told her, \u201cI\u2019m not gonna be able to do what your dad did, and nor would I hope to do that. Because what Durham needs next is something completely different than what got us here.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Freelon, what Durham needs is new perspective and more diversity in terms of age and background in city leadership. Right now, with the exception of Jillian Johnson, every city council member is over the age of 40. He says the lack of younger people on the city council is one of the reasons the city is facing the issues like income inequality, and lack of affordable housing and livable wages.<\/p>\n
\u201cHad we been thoughtful a decade ago in creating policies that champion equity and inclusion, it wouldn\u2019t be the issue that it is today, the crisis that it is today,\u201d says Freelon. \u201cThat was on the watch of some of the people who are currently on the council.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freelon has never held political office before; he\u2019s spent 10 years as a professor and a lifetime as an artist and activist in Durham. Freelon is a member of a hip-hop group, The Beast, and the creator of Blackspace, a youth center that hosts workshops in beat making, graphic design, puppetry, videography and spoken word.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_audio admin_label=”Audio” title=”Listen to Pierce Freelon talk about why he’s running for mayor” artist_name=”Andy Li” album_name=”Next Gen Radio” image_url=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/AndyLi_004.jpg” background_layout=”dark” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ audio=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/ANDYLI_FINAL_2.mp3″ \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″]<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a place where it doesn\u2019t matter, like, the race or ethnicity or the background of the person,\u201d says Israel Suttles, a program assistant at Blackspace\u2019s Chapel Hill studio. \u201cIf you have an art and you want to share it with people, you can come and express it and nobody\u2019s gonna judge you \u2014 like, at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freelon has used art as a tool throughout his career and campaign. He often speaks about \u201cartivism,\u201d using art as a vehicle for activism. For him, however, art is all personal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe personal is political,\u201d Freelon says. \u201cSo when I talk about my life, there are implications for my background as it relates to my socioeconomic status, my ethnic identity, my gender, my sexual orientation \u2014 all those things come into play when I\u2019m creating art that is a reflection of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freelon is campaigning as a nonpartisan candidate against the CEO of the nonprofit Institute of Minority Economic Development, Democrat Farad Ali, and nonpartisan Durham city councilmember, Steve Schewel. Schewel has served on city council since 2011 and Ali held a seat from 2007 to 2011.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/AndyLi_003-1.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” force_fullwidth=”off” alt=”A mural within Blackspace\u2019s Durham studio. Freelon created Blackspace as a maker\u2019s studio for teenagers to experiment with art and technology. (Andy Li\/NextGenRadio)” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″]<\/p>\n
A mural within Blackspace\u2019s Durham studio. Freelon created Blackspace as a maker\u2019s studio for teenagers to experiment with art and technology. (Andy Li\/NextGenRadio)<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/AndyLi_005-1.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” force_fullwidth=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Some of the equipment inside Blackspace’s Durham studio. Blackspace gives teens opportunities to experiment with music production. (Andy Li\/NextGenRadio)<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/AndyLi_006.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” force_fullwidth=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n A photo of Freelon standing with teens and staff at Blackspace in Durham. (Andy Li\/NextGenRadio)<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/AndyLi_002-1.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” force_fullwidth=”off” alt=”Pierce Freelon speaks with attendees to a community forum held at Beyu Caffe. Pierce often talks about \u2018artivism\u2019, using art as a tool in social justice. (Andy Li\/NextGenRadio)” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Pierce Freelon speaks with attendees to a community forum held at Beyu Caffe. Pierce often talks about \u2018artivism\u2019, using art as a tool in social justice.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″]<\/p>\n Ali has no presence on Twitter and no campaign website. However, Freelon has over 3,000 followers on Twitter<\/a> and often tweets about his workshops and his family. Schewel, who started his Twitter account<\/a> this month but has no website, says he\u2019s confident about engaging young voters, Freelon\u2019s base.<\/p>\n \u201cYoung people in Durham care about the same things that voters of all ages care about,\u201d says Schewel. \u201cAffordable housing and gentrification, good jobs at good wages \u2014 making Durham a welcoming city for all.\u201d<\/p>\n Freelon says his age, his competitors and his famous family \u2014 his mother is a well-known jazz singer and his father led the design team for the Washington, D.C. National Museum of African American History and Culture \u2014 won\u2019t define his campaign for mayor. Freelon has spent his entire life defining himself, through art and activism. Now he hopes to define himself through the mayorship of Durham.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just my own unique individual. And what I have to give to the world is also very unique,\u201d says Freelon. \u201cAnd no one will be able to fill my shoes either.\u201d<\/p>\n Candidates for mayor must register by July 7 and the general election will be held November 7, 2017.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” disabled=”off” disabled_on=”off|off|” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ global_module=”376″][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label=”Fullwidth Image: Divider” global_parent=”376″ src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/WUNC_divider_web2.gif” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”off” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”off” background_color=”#0073ae” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ global_module=”375″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” global_parent=”375″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: site logo” global_parent=”375″ _builder_version=”3.0.51″ show_in_lightbox=”off” url=”http:\/\/wunc.org\/” url_new_window=”on” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” force_fullwidth=”off” src=”https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/nextgen_logo_web2.png” animation=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” global_parent=”375″ background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”center” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n We are finding, coaching and training public media’s next generation. This #nextgenradio<\/strong><\/a> project is created in partnership with North Carolina Public Radio WUNC. Learn more about Next Generation Radio and upcoming programs<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” global_parent=”375″ background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”center” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow admin_label=”Social Media Follow” global_parent=”375″ _builder_version=”3.0.51″ link_shape=”rounded_rectangle” url_new_window=”on” follow_button=”off” background_layout=”dark”]<\/p>\n [et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” skype_action=”call” url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/officialnextgenerationradio\/” bg_color=”##52BDEC”]Facebook [\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” skype_action=”call” url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/nextgenradio” bg_color=”#00aced”]Twitter [\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bill Bell is something of a legend around Durham, North Carolina. He has been mayor for 16 years. During his tenure, he has worked to reduce gun violence, advocated for people with disabilities and built programs to get young people to work. At age 76, he\u2019s decided not to seek re-election. Pierce Freelon, 33, thinks […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"coauthors":[26],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/193"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":794,"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/193\/revisions\/794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wunc2017.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}FOLLOW US<\/h4>\n