South Philadelphia community leader Damon K. Roberts announced today he is ending his campaign for Philadelphia City Council’s Second District in the May 17 Democratic Primary, effective immediately.
Roberts announced he is officially withdrawing as a candidate and endorsing State Representative Kenyatta Johnson for the position.
“After spending the past few weeks speaking with supporters, my family and key community leaders throughout Philadelphia , I have decided that I can best serve Philadelphia at this time as a civic and community leader and not as an elected official. I want to thank my staff, family, friends, citizens and financial contributors for all of the support they have given me in my quest for Council’s Second District seat.”
“I have carefully studied the track records of other candidates running in the Second District Democratic Primary and have developed a healthy respect for all of them.” Roberts continued. “I am endorsing State Representative Kenyatta Johnson. Kenyatta and I have been friends for years and have worked on many projects together. Kenyatta’s legislative district already covers a large portion of the Second Council District so he knows the issues of importance to residents of the District. I expect that Kenyatta will be an excellent member of City Council.”
“I thank Damon for his endorsement and support,” Johnson said. “He ran a strong campaign and he should be proud of his accomplishments. I’ve known Damon as an active, engaged member of our community and I hope that he’ll continue to be involved in making our neighborhoods safer and our city stronger. I look forward to working with him as a member of City Council.”
Roberts, 40, is a Democratic Committeeperson in the 36th Ward (South Philadelphia); a block captain; former President of the City Wide Neighborhood Advisory Council’s Alliance Board; and current Chairperson of South Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks. Roberts is also Vice Chairperson of Board of Directors of the Housing Association of the Delaware Valley , and Vice President, Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia.
A real estate and land use attorney in his 10th year of practice, Roberts served as the President of The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, from 2004-2005. The Barristers represent more than 1,200 African-American attorneys in the Philadelphia vicinity.
Roberts launched his own Center City-based law firm, Damon K. Roberts & Associates (DKR), in 2007. Empowering their clients through diligence, professionalism and passionate advocacy, DKR is Philadelphia ‘s premiere minority-owned boutique real estate law firm representing first-time home-buyers, commercial lessors, real estate developers, small businesses, contractors, landlords, and tenants.
Prior to launching DKR, Roberts was in the inaugural class of the Mayor’s Honors Attorneys Program at the City of Philadelphia Law Department. He later became a community liaison for the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), which is responsible for housing over 45,000 low income residents in Philadelphia .
For his work, Roberts has been recognized as a “Lawyer on the Fast Track” by American Lawyer Media, and “10 Under (age) 40 to Watch” by the Philadelphia Tribune Magazine.
An honors graduate of Harvard University , Roberts has won public speaking awards and was a Rhodes Scholarship finalist. He taught Global History in Harlem ( New York City ) while studying at Teachers’ College, Columbia University , where he was also President of the Black Student Network. Roberts graduated from Howard University School of Law and was President of the Graduate Students Association.
Roberts lives in South Philadelphia and has a wife, Arline, and two sons, Cualyn and Delano .
For more information on the campaign, go to www.damonkroberts.com. Information is also available on Facebook (facebook.com/DKR 2011) or Twitter (twitter.com/damonkroberts).
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