b'askingothersupervisorstosometimesfillinforNAACP.Shestillwishes,however,thatshecould her and having to repay them by working 16 hours.inspire more minorities to run for offices or serve on Classeswerehelddifferentdaysondifferentcity commissions. campuses.Exhaustedafterreceiving87hoursofOne of the most difficult things about being Mayor credit, she almost gave up. Ernest told her to take aof Camden is her inability to have control over city break for the summer and see if she felt differently inemployees. That responsibility is the City Managers the fall.He was right. She graduated the summer ofrole.The mayor is unable to hire, fire, recruit, defend 1984 and was promoted to shift supervisor managingor engage in employment issues when employees or over 200 people. Then, next Drakeford was promotedresidents come seek assistance regarding these issues.to supervisor of training and development and then,When asked if she had any advice for other women quality assurance.She retired in 2001 and rested forwhomightseekleadershipinthiscurrentsocial 6 months but still wanted to do more. climate, she states, Know your passion and prepare Shelearnedin2003thatsubstituteteachingwasyourself to go after it. Be twice as good as other folks not her forte and a conversation with then Camden MayorMaryClark,promptedhertorunforCity Council. There was no African American on Camden CityCouncilatthetime.Accordingtothelast census,thepopulationintheCityofCamdenis alittleover7,000,30.20%AfricanAmericanand 68.8%White.Drakefordbelievesshewasable togarnersupportfrombothracesbecauseofthe relationshipsshebuiltoverher33-yeartenureat DuPontwhichencouragedtheirexecutivestoserve onvariousboardsthroughoutthecommunity.She feltsheknewthepeopleandthepeopleknewher. She ran successfully for City Council in 2004, 2008 and 2012.Then,whenmostwouldrestontheirlaurels, Drakeforddecidedtorunformayorin2016when theformermayordidnotrunforre-election. Shetriedunsuccessfullytoencourageanother AfricanAmericantorunforcitycounciltoensuredoing the same thing. Equip yourself with education community representation. You must live within cityorwhateverittakestoreachyourgoals.Mayor limits.ManycandidatesthatwoulddoagreatjobDrakeford says she never wanted anyone to give her liveoutsidecitylimits,sheexplained.Asacouncilanything.All she ever wanted was the opportunity member, Drakeford said she was usually the counciland she would get it herself.membertobringAfricanAmericancommunity concerns to the table. When we are not at the table,RetiredMajorGeneralThomasS.Mullikin,Ph.D, itissadbuttruewearenotthoughtof,sighedJ.D.says,MayorDrakefordrepresentseverything Drakeford. She ran successfully for mayor of CamdengoodaboutbeingAmerican.Shehasovercomethe and wontwice. greatest barriers and has defined her life by success, humility, and love.She simply is a brilliant leader and THE BEST AND CHALLENGING PARTS friend to all.MayorDrakefordstatedthatthebestthingaboutNo,therewasnowayshecouldhaveimaginedas being mayor is that she gets to be the face and voicea small child on that farm on Highway 97 that she ofCamden.SheisapeoplepersonandloveswouldbecomeMayororserveontheplethoraof Camden where mostly everyone is a friend, colleague,other boards and agencies that she is affiliated with, orfamilymember.Shealsoadmitsthatregardlessbutshewantedmoreandshewasnotafraidto ofwhovotedforher,onceelectedshemustservework to get it! allconstituentsofCamden,frommemberofthe Daughters of the Confederacy to the members of the IMARA9'