b'college, remembers Blain-Bellamy. I had no choicehouse and I bawled.but to come back with a degree in my hand. I cannotNowmayor,Blain-Bellamyremembersmaking tell you the number of times the Lord sent an angel.statements to herself like, You cant do this. Those Its not what I did. Its what was done for me. people arent going to vote for you.In 2000, Blain-Bellamy added a Juris Doctorate fromThe attorney then had an epiphany. theUniversityofSouthCarolina (USC)SchoolofLawtoherI decided I had been praying the resume. She had previously earnedwrongprayer,Blain-Bellamy an associates degree from Coastalsayswithhervoicecracking. The CarolinaUniversity,aswellasprayerhadbeen,pleasehelpme abachelorsdegreeinsociologywin.Illdogoodbypeople.But andamastersineducationfromthatnightwhenwinningseemed USC.Shewasswornintothetobethefarthestpossibilityyou SouthCarolinaBarAssociationcan imagine, I said, Lord, just have in2001.Tenyearslater,Blain- your way.BellamyfoundedCommunityBlain-Bellamy attributes His way Legal Services, a private law officefor the years she has been in office offering legal services to low-and- as mayor, re-elected in 2020.moderate income families. But,astheWhittemoreHighA PUBLIC SERVANTS SchoolgraduatesoadequatelyLIFEsummedupherloveofcityIt feels better than life to be able government,thisstuffisAs a young girl, Blain-Bellamy nevertoholdontothispositionsince contagious.So,shedecidedtoimagined becoming a mayor.2016,saysabeamingBlain-comebacktoCityCouncil.InBellamy.Thepublicservant 2016,theformerDepartmentofstaysbusy,attendingschooland SocialServicesemployeeranforothercommunityevents;writing Mayor.personalmessagestothefamilies ofConwayresidentswhohave A native and city council member,passed;andgainingmembership mostwouldthinkthepositioninorganizationsthatwillensure wouldbeashoo-in.ButnottheConway is in the spotlight. Blain-aspiringmayor.Blain-BellamyBellamyisthefirstvice-president canrecalloneweekbeforeheroftheMunicipalAssociationof firstmayoralelection.AformerSouthCarolina,chairmanofthe co-workeradvisedBlain-BellamyWaccamawRegionalCouncilof howmuchhermotherlovedandGovernments and past president of supportedherandwelcomedathe Association of Mayors, just to campaignsigninherfrontyard.name a few. Thecandidateandherhusband,Themayorhasalsostartedan BobbyBellamy,traveledtoanannual event for the over 250 city unfamiliararea.Andwhatstandsof Conway employees, highlighting out in her mind were the numberselectworkersfortheirexemplary ofheropponentssignsthatcontributions. occupiedtheuppermiddle-class neighborhood.But, the position comes with its challenges, including I counted probably 40 signs and I was about to putmurmuringslike,thatwomandoesntknowwhat uponeforme,saysBlain-Bellamy.Ijustfeltsoshes doing.defeated. I got my second foot in the back door of myMaybe the expectation that a black woman cant fit IMARA11'