EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Cherelle Parker for mayor of Philadelphia in an early-morning announcement.

“Cherelle Parker has spent her life serving the city of Philadelphia, and there is no candidate more qualified to be its mayor,” said EMILYs List interim president Jessica Mackler.

“EMILYs List has been proud to support Parker over the years during her time as a state representative, and her work on the city council to deliver tangible results for her community speaks for itself. We know Parker will take the same dedication and passion she has shown for her entire career to the mayor’s office, and we are honored to endorse her today.”

Parker joins a list of 22 endorsed mayoral candidates as part of the organization’s Madam Mayor program that is designed to highlight and support women running for local executive office across the country.

This program was created acknowledging that women, and particularly women of color, face more misinformation and disinformation when running for office, which hurts their candidacy and has a chilling effect on recruitment. At a time when local executives are facing more challenges than ever before, these attacks have proven especially prevalent for women running in these positions, and the Madam Mayor program serves as a critical touchpoint for these Democratic pro-choice champions to receive the resources and support they need to serve their communities.

Parker was a Philadelphia City Council member after serving 10 years (2005-15) as a State Representative representing Northwest Philadelphia. On the city council, she has led the charge to
reduce crime, raise the minimum wage for city employees, and support neighborhood beautification. Parker was first endorsed by EMILYs List in 2005 and, if elected, would be the first woman mayor in Philadelphia’s history.