Community-Based Leadership. Proven Results. Equity in Action.

For eight years on the Durham City Council, DeDreana Freeman has been a bold and consistent advocate for justice. With a proven record of advancing social, economic, and environmental equity, she brings both the leadership experience and lived perspective needed to build a more inclusive future for Durham and North Carolina.

A nonprofit leader, policy strategist, and seasoned consultant, DeDreana is the Principal of Developing Equitable Economic Partnerships, LLC, where she advises nonprofit organizations and supports state and local government initiatives. She previously served as Director of Partnership Development at CornerSquare Community Capital, where she helped Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) across 17 states increase investments from $2.4 million to $24 million in one year.

Earlier in her career, she held executive leadership roles at the Durham Children’s Initiative, served as a Transportation Coordinator with Clean Energy Durham, and worked as a Business Analyst on NC Medicaid Bill XI with Electronic Data Systems, a Hewlett-Packard (HP) Enterprise company.

DeDreana is an alumna of Rutgers University and North Carolina Central University, where she earned a Master of Public Administration. 

Her lived experience navigating childhood trauma and systemic inequity fuels her commitment to challenging the status quo. A mother of three, a wife, and a community-based leader, DeDreana centers the voices of those too often left out of decision-making and translates advocacy into meaningful policy change.

DeDreana represented Ward 1 on the Durham City Council and has served in leadership roles on numerous city, regional, and national boards, including:

• Central Pines Regional Council (Former Chair)

• National League of Cities Racial Equity & Leadership Council and Federal Advocacy Committees (Former Vice Chair)

• North Carolina Democratic Party State Executive Committee

• Higher Heights Civic Leadership Fellow (2020)

• Co-Founder, Episcopalians United Against Racism

• Leadership North Carolina and Institute for Political Leadership Fellow

• North Carolina League of Municipalities, Women in Municipal Government (Past President)

A Durham resident since 2007, DeDreana’s community service spans housing, education, health equity, and racial justice, including work with the Durham Early Childhood Action Steering Committee and the Affordable Housing and Transit Coalition.

1. Elected to Serve on the Durham City Council: 2017

2. During her 2017 campaign, DeDreana said she would use an equity lens to address disparities in the social determinants of health that are related to where you live, work, or play and the color of your skin. After joining the Council, DeDreana began to fight for East Durham residents who were concerned about their children’s health. She pushed for parent concerns around rubber tire mulch to be heard, resulting in the city removing the mulch from East Durham Park. [2018] 

https://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article213415029.html

3. DeDreana believes it is important to create opportunities for development and planning with equity for all in mind. Subsequently, she supported the creation of the Equitable Engagement Blueprint put forth by the Neighborhood Improvement Services. She also supported the creation and staffing of the Office of Equity and Inclusion. [2018]

4. When DeDreana campaigned in 2017, she put forth ideas to equitably address displacement caused by gentrification and proposed a $100 million bond to pay for these efforts. Many of these ideas are in the 2019 Housing Bond referendum ($95 million) passed by Durham residents. However, addressing the affordable housing crisis in Durham requires more than just a housing plan. To make affordable housing a sustainable reality and prevent homelessness, we must also address job training, entrepreneurship, small business incubation, and public health and safety concerns.

5. DeDreana’s 2017 plan to address displacement caused by gentrification called for developing neighborhood-level plans for lot infill that include alternative site plans like tiny house developments, flag lots, multi-units for non-conforming lot sizes, and a process for incorporating accessory dwelling units (ADUs) into communities that lack affordable housing. Some of these elements are in UDO Text Amendment TC180007 (Expanded Housing Choices). However, subsidies for affordability are still needed, and land ownership history must be taken into account. Without any funding for ADU's or programs, historically underserved communities of color and low wealth residents are at a disadvantage. [2019]

6. As part of her work with Episcopalians United Against Racism (EUAR), DeDreana helped organize the 2019 Faith Summit on Racism and Child Poverty. This summit began an effort to generate community dialogue around issues of race and poverty in Durham. The dialogue continued through weekly community round tables. These conversations were critical to informing DeDreana’s policy direction and decisions on the City Council. 

   • CIP/EPD/EUAR - Faith Summit

   • CIP/EPD/EUAR Round Table Discussions

     1. Reparations Conversation - From Here to Equality - Dr. Sandy Darity and Kirsten Mullen

     2. Lynching Series - Unfinished Business - Isador Banks in AR

     3. Community Response to Gun Violence 

     4. Affordable Housing issues

7. With the end of HB 142, cities were able to adopt measures to protect the LGBTQ+ community. DeDreana fully supported the creation of Durham's non-discrimination ordinance. She also spearheaded the effort to include language that would prohibit discrimination based on hair texture and style. [2020]

8. In 2020, DeDreana led the effort to submit and win a national competition to join Policy Link’s Counties & Cities for Fine and Fee Justice network, an initiative where selected jurisdictions work to develop and implement reforms to unjust fines and fees.

9. When community members proposed a black artist project in historically under-resourced communities of color as a means of healing and expression because of racial injustice, police brutality, and gun violence, DeDreana stepped up in support. She worked closely with city staff to launch this ongoing effort. [2020-21]

10. Throughout her term, DeDreana has supported diversity in appointments to city boards and committees like the Environmental Affairs Board (EAB). In 2021, she requested equity positions for the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission (DOST) and the Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC).

11. Much like she did on the Planning Commission, DeDreana takes a community-centered approach to decision making. Equity and inclusion are more than words to DeDreana. She speaks to the importance of community engagement, especially for low wealth communities, renters, and historically marginalized communities who are most impacted by City Council decisions. That’s why she fought for the Council to consider and pass the 2021 Safe & Healthy Homes Resolution and the Tenants Bill of Rights from Bull City Tenants United. Both resolutions would have afforded Durham city renters more protections and moved Durham closer to providing healthy, safe, sanitary, and environmentally sustainable housing they can afford.

12. Advocated alongside residents and business owners for the preservation of Hayti’s cultural legacy and neighborhood history through the Hayti Reborn initiative. Secured funding to support Durham New Vision’s peer-to-peer resource model, catalyzing its growth into the Hayti Reborn Justice Movement and strengthening community-led organizing, advocacy, and collective power. [2021-2025]

13. In 2021, Freeman was re-Elected to serve on the Durham City Council with the term expiring in 2025.

14. When the City Firefighters Local 668 Union came to council advocating that they redress issues related to missed pay steps agreed upon in 2019, DeDreana stood with City employees in support of making it right. [2023]

15. Freeman’s work on the City Council included advancing annual minimum wage increases for full- and part-time city employees, culminating in a $19.58 living wage in 2025 under Durham’s Living Wage Ordinance.

DeDreana has also served as:

• Vice Chair and 3rd Vice Chair, Durham County Democratic Party

• Chair, Precinct 17 (6 years)

• 2020 DNC Delegate

• Chair, Durham County ACCESS Transportation Board

• Planning Commissioner, City/County of Durham

CURRENT CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES

• Mayor's Council for Women

• Racial Equity Commission

• Audit Services Oversight Committee (Alternate)

• Central Pines Regional Council (Alternate)

• Central Pines Regional Council - Center of the Region Enterprise (Alternate)

• Durham County Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (Alternate)

• Homeless Services Advisory Committee (Alternate)

• Human Relations Commission (Alternate)

PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES

• Carolina Theatre Board of Directors (Liaison) 2017- 2024

• Council Subcommittee on Housing

• Durham Environmental Affairs Board 2017- 2021

• Durham Open Space and Trails Liaison (alternate) 2017- 2021

• Jordan Lake One Water Alliance 2018-2023

• Joint City-County Planning 2021-2023

• Joint City County 2017-2023

• Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities (Liaison) 2017- 2021

• North-East Central Durham Subcommittee (Chair) 2017-2023

• Simplifying Codes for Affordable Development (SCAD) Taskforce 2020-2023

• Workforce Development Board 2017- present

Local, state and national boards, committees, commissions and organizations

• Durham Early Childhood Action Steering Committee

• Former Durham County Transportation Access Board- (Past Chair)

• Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee (Past Co-Chair)

• Episcopalians United Against Racism, Co-Founder/Core Team Leader

• Higher Heights Senior Civic Leadership Fellow (2020, Inaugural Cohort)

• Institute for Political Leadership Fellow

• Leadership North Carolina, Co-Chair Environmental Committee

• Organizing Against Racism (OAR) Durham, Coordinating Committee/Organizer

• National Black Caucus of Local Elected Official - Legislative Committee

• National League of Cities Transportation & Infrastructure Federal Advocacy

• National League of Cities Racial Equity & Leadership Council 

• North Carolina Democratic Party State Executive Board

• North Carolina League of Cities - Women In Municipal Government (Past President)

Other Community Involvement 

• Durham Early Childhood Steering Committee

• Inter-Neighborhood Council of Durham 

  • ○ Subcommittees included: Transportation, Zoning and Traffic (2009-2017); President (2015-2017) 

• Partnership Effort for the Advancement of Children’s Health (PEACH), Steering Committee/Consultant/Volunteer/Trainer (2010-2013) 

• Liberia Medicals, Inc. (LMI), Executive Board Member 

• Bless Durham/Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), Alternative Housing Chair 

• Affordable Housing and Transit Coalition 

• City of Durham-Community Capital Improvement Plan Committee

• Durham Congregation and Action 

• The Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham (RCND)

• Northeast Central Durham Leadership Council (2014-2017); Chair (2015-2017)

• Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties - Women in Leadership Committee

Previous Community Elected/Appointed Positions 

• Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCPH), Healthy Homes Task Force 

• Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCPH), Lead Poison Prevention Task Force 

• North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCPH), Durham County Health Department – Healthy Families Durham - Obesity & Chronic Illness (OCI) 

• City of Durham’s Office of Economic & Workforce Development - Streetscape Advisory Steering Committee