William Carter, a 30-year resident of Surrey Place East, is the newest member of the council. He filled the vacant seat of Carolyn Jacobs, who resigned after she made a racially offensive remark during a council meeting in June.
The 68-year-old African-American man, who is also a former member of the Cherry Hill school board, said he feels “honored and humbled” to join the council.
“It's an opportunity to have that seat at the table to participate,” he said. “Not all of the things that you participate in are going to be easy challenges to address, but at least when you're at the table, you can help.”
Carter, a member of the Cherry Hill African American Civic Association, is the third Black person to hold a seat in the Cherry Hill Township Council in more than 10 years.
“The township as a whole has moved in a direction to be inclusive for all the members of the population,” Carter said, “and when you look at the town council now, it's more reflective of that.”
“He is committed to our mutual goal of making Cherry Hill an inclusive, welcoming and safe community,” added Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo.
As for the current racial climate in the U.S., Carter has hope.
“I pray that we are moving forward,” he said. “I'm cautiously optimistic, but I think the biggest thing for me is faith.”