I have seen the future of progressive politics in Philadelphia and her name is Cherelle Parker
Cherelle won a special election for State Representative in the 200th district in September. Come see her tonight (Thursday, February 9) at her reelection campaign kick-off at 7:00 pm at Lakey’s Restaurant, 8215 Stenton Ave, Philadelphia, PA.
Cherelle is incredibly energetic, very smart, and uncommonly well-informed, especially for someone so young. Her devotion to the idea that government can and must make life better for everyone comes from both her head and her heart, from what she has learned and what she has experienced in her own life. She received her graduate education in politics from Councilwoman Marian Tasco, one of our best political officials, known for her thoughtfulness about public policy and her organizational skills.
Cherelle is young and her political identity is still in formation. She needs the support and encouragement of the broad liberal / progressive community to reach her potential as a political leader.
Great Political Leaders Need Great Political Supporters
That brings me to an important point: Until I actually got involved in politics, I didn’t realize how much the quality of political leadership is dependent upon the quality of political support.
No one gets anywhere in politics without mentors and advisors. There is just too much to learn, too fast, and there is no book or manual that can substitute for the experience and good advice of a mentor. And it is too easy to miss the big picture in politics. Everyone in politics, from the beginner to the experienced official, continually needs good advice.
Nor does anyone get anywhere with out a broad group of activists who give advice, who spread the word, who help organize a constituency, and—let’s not forget—who raise money. You can have the most progressive or liberal ideas in the world and be the most inspiring speaker, but no one is talented enough to conjure a movement out of nothing.
If you don’t have mentors and a base of supporters who share your ideals, you will go nowhere fast. Or, if you do go somewhere, it will only be by giving up the ideals that lead you into politics in the first place. (Pretty soon I will be writing about some of the mentors and supporters who have been helping me along.)
Cherelle is just beginning her career as a political official. She has a strong base of support and the best possible mentor. But, to become the political leader she can be down the road, she needs to broaden her base of support. That is often hard to do in the factionalized Democratic Party of Philadelphia, in which political leaders and activists tend to lend their support only to people of their own group or faction—or, sometimes, their own neighborhood or block. And it is especially hard for liberals and progressives because so many of us are content to leave city and state politics to those who are only in politics for the wrong reasons.
That is why, when we find a political leader with the potential of Cherelle, it is critical that we join her. Only in that way will we put together the broad, racially and ethnically diverse, lberal / progressive coalition this city and state so badly needs.
So, if you have some time, come out and see Cherelle tonight. Or catch her when she speaks to groups around the city. (She absolutely stunned young Democrats a few weeks ago.) Send her your ideas about how to make Philadelphia a better place. Make a campaign contribution. You won’t be sorry to invest some time and energy in our future.