A former member of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration plans to run against her former boss next year.<\/p>\n
Shania Bennett<\/a> announced on Instagram Tuesday night that she will run against Parker to become Philadelphia’s next mayor. Bennett will hold a campaign kickoff event Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m.<\/p>\n In 2024, Parker appointed Bennett as the director of youth engagement in her administration to bridge the gap between generations.\u00a0<\/p>\n “During the pandemic, Bennett served as a Neighborhood Advisory Coordinator with the Office of Housing and Community Development where she led a neighborhood advisory subcommittee in South Philadelphia that increased the efficiency of residents’ access to benefits,” the announcement read<\/a> in 2024.\u00a0 “A dedicated community leader Bennett founded Reach4Peace, a non-violence initiative that mentored at-risk youth through basketball programming.”<\/p>\n Parker, who emerged from a deep Democratic field of candidates in 2023 to win the primary and then beat David Oh in the mayoral election, is eligible to seek reelection for a second term.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bennett is the first candidate to announce she’s challenging Parker. \u00a0<\/p>\n The 2027 Philadelphia mayoral election will be held on Nov. 2.<\/p>\n \n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n