Hundreds of residents packed into Fletcher Hall at Carolina Theatre on Tuesday night to witness the re-imagination of an annual event in Durham: the State of the City address. Joel Brown, a news anchor at ABC11, emceed the night’s programming. He stood at the podium on stage as folks filed into their seats, serenaded by members of the Durham Symphony Orchestra.
Following a performance from Durham’s poet laureate D.J. Rogers, Brown brought the crowd to itsfeet as the North Carolina Central University Sound Machine marching band filled the aisles, blasting music through the hall. Mayor Leonardo Williams walked to the stage to address the crowd as if he were hosting an awards show.
“There are so many great things going on in this city,” Williams said. “We have a lot to be proud about, and we’re going to celebrate those wins tonight.”
Williams’s hour-long address celebrated the positive outcomes from Durham’s recent programs and initiatives while emphasizing the need to invest more resources in public safety, economic development, supporting the city’s youth, housing, and community engagement in Durham.
“I can guarantee you that the focus of my leadership over the coming years will be fostering an environment inside city hall and the community at-large that encourages innovation and out-of- the-box thinking,” Williams said.
Collaboration was a common theme throughout the presentation. Williams said collaborations with nonprofit partners have led to creative solutions for solving the ongoing housing crisis in Durham through first-time homebuyer’s programs and the development of affordable housing projects.
“I’ll argue with you about this any day. Housing should be a human right,” Williams said.
He also said cooperative relationships with the city’s higher education institutions—Duke University, NCCU, and Durham Technical Community College—provides a backbone for economic opportunity through education and workforce development. Bloomberg Philanthropies recently awarded Duke Health, Durham Tech, and Durham Public Schools $29.5 million to invest in an early-college program for students pursuing careers in healthcare.
Williams highlighted Durham’s recent attention from state and federal leaders, including visits from President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, whose administration invested $32 million in Durham in conjunction with Governor Roy Cooper’s office to support minority-owned businesses in honor of the legacy of Black Wall Street.
“We are on the tarmac a lot lately,” Williams said, receiving laughter and applause from the audience.
The mayor discussed investments Durham is making through its budget initiatives, including the continuation of fare-free buses, revitalization efforts in the Hayti district, and mentorship programs for Durham’s youth. The city launched a Mentoring Alliance Partnership with the city’s Youth Office and the nonprofit Youth Mentoring Collaborative to offer educational opportunities to young people embarking on their career paths. (The CEO of the Youth Mentoring Collaborative is Atrayus Goode, a Durham school board candidate in the past election who was accused during his campaign of sexual harassment in 2013; the INDY reached out to Williams to see how and why the Youth Mentoring Collaborative was chosen for the partnership and we will update the story if we hear back).
Williams also announced the launch of his new Task Force on Black Men and Boys, a program that will connect Black youth with more economic and educational resources while working to solve some of the city’s crime and public safety concerns.
“I’ll be looking forward to your support and your participation in this process. Engagement is a cornerstone of our plans to address youth-involved crime,” Williams said.
Earlier in his speech, Williams made the rounds thanking his fellow politicians and representatives: county commissioners, state senators, former mayors, school board members, and his colleagues on the city council. He offered special awards to state senator Mike Woodard and county commissioner Brenda Howerton for their decades of service to the Durham community. Both lost their reelection bids in February.
Williams also gave special shout outs to a small team of Durham Parks & Recreation employees whose actions saved a man’s life at a DPR facility in March, and to Deona Washington, a bus driver with Durham Public Schools who swiftly escorted children off of a burning bus in February.
“Those children were saved by a superhero, and they were all able to go home safely that night to their parents,” Williams said. “The saying goes, not every superhero wears a cape. But tonight, I would like us all to stand and honor our superhero.”
As Williams closed his remarks, he left the audience with an invitation.
“I charge you all to be bold in your vision for this community and seek out opportunities to be involved in the work to make the American Dream Durham’s reality,” Williams said. “There are so many people who will tell you that Durham is not thriving. Look in the mirror, see what I see, believe what I believe, and say what I say: Durham is dope.”
Before the address, the city hosted a social gathering in the hallway of the Durham Convention Center where several city departments and local organizations set up stations with information about important programs and initiatives.
In previous years, mayors have hosted the state of the city address at City Hall, typically during a regular council meeting. But Williams chose to showcase some of the city’s assets and versatile spaces.
“I know there was some buzzing online: ‘Why does it have to be in the Carolina Theater?’” Williams said. “We are in a city-owned facility tonight, folks. We are in a city-owned facility celebrating city events and we are going to have a doggone good time tonight.”
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