Anjanée Bell, the daughter of Durham’s longest-serving mayor, now aspires to follow in her father’s footsteps and has officially announced her mayoral candidacy.
The lifelong Durhamite and arts educator has framed her platform around “building a better Durham” through an inclusive approach marked by “bold leadership, vision and opportunity for everyone.”
According to a press release from her campaign, Bell informally announced her candidacy on Valentine’s Day — “a day of love and connection” — to represent her love for the city and her “intention to serve its people.” She has since begun fundraising through her campaign website.
Bell’s campaign website does not include much information on her policy priorities, though it mentions her support for education and economic development. Her platform is driven largely by commitments to “champion inclusivity” and “charg[e] forward with purpose and precision.”
The press release also noted that a “bold five-point plan” will be released in the coming weeks, outlining her priorities if elected mayor.
Bell further advertises herself as a Durham native “born into a legacy of service.” A single mother of three, she grew up in the Durham Public Schools system, where she returned to teach dance classes from 2001 to 2016.
Bell’s professional background is in the arts and education. She currently serves as director of arts in the parks for North Carolina State Parks and was previously director of dance and outreach for the North Carolina Arts Council. She also founded Bellan Contemporary Dance Theatre, a local nonprofit dance organization that served as a “community space for visionary, rigorous performance training and artistic transformation.”
To prepare for the mayoral role, Bell’s campaign website says she spent time as a driver for Uber and Lyft, “not because she had to, but because she wanted to see the city through the eyes of its people.”
She is also the daughter of Bill Bell, who served as mayor of the Bull City from 2001 to 2017.
Upon his retirement, the editorial board of The News & Observer celebrated Bill’s legacy as the “conductor of the city’s growth,” overseeing the redevelopment of the American Tobacco campus and downtown Durham as bustling centers for emerging industry while bringing together the city’s increasingly diversified residents to face challenges head-on. A street outside the Durham Performing Arts Center, which the former mayor helped develop, was recently renamed “William V Bell Way” in his honor.
According to the “Campaign for Mayor Bell” website, from observing her father’s 47 years of public service, Anjanée “learned firsthand that leadership is not about holding a title — it is about holding the line, taking the hits and making bold decisions that move people forward.”
Incumbent mayor Leonardo Williams reportedly confirmed his intention to run for reelection last week. All candidates are required to file their campaign with the Durham County Board of Elections in July. The Durham municipal primary election is scheduled for Oct. 7, and the municipal general election will take place Nov. 4.
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Zoe Kolenovsky is a Trinity junior and news editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.