11/10 Your letters: Farad Ali, and Robert Medred | Durham Herald Sun

A new chapter

Each brand new day writes a chapter in Durham’s story. Each changing of the calendar brings another opportunity for those who live and work here to build on our city’s past and look eagerly toward a better kind of future, a future that – as of this new day – is one day closer to reality.

Today, though, is a different in one respect: Durham has chosen a new mayor to lead her. Although I wasn’t that choice, the decision I made earlier this year to seek the seat of retiring Mayor Bill Bell put me on a wondrous and exciting journey. It’s a journey that didn’t end the way we had hoped and planned, but that doesn’t make these last few months any less meaningful to me, or any less joyful.

For me, the most valuable takeaway from this candidacy has been the humbling privilege of being supported by so many people. My family and friends have helped me in innumerable ways; I’ve accrued a debt of gratitude here that I can never repay. Volunteers – many of whom I’d not met before – stepped up day after day to devote selfless hours to my candidacy; this machination of tireless manpower gave me vitality and much-needed adrenaline during long days campaigning. Other supporters reached into their own pockets to provide the financial help that’s required in this day and age to operate a campaign and market and spread the word about what our candidacy represented; those monies allowed us to share more about the ideas and ideals we believe will make Durham better for all of her people. And thousands of you shared and cheered my plan for a better Durham and adopted it as your own – something I believe will be the lasting legacy of the Farad Ali campaign.

To all of you who worked, who helped spread the word about our vision, for those who shared a kind word of encouragement, for those who gave – and those who voted – I offer my sincerest thanks and appreciation. You partnered with me in this endeavor. Your hand pulled me across the finish line.

So on this new day, I offer my most hearty congratulations to Mayor-elect Steve Schewel and encourage my team and my supporters to join me in supporting him and the City Council under his leadership. My promise to all of you is that, now this election is over, I will continue to work for Durham with the same passion and commitment you’ve seen from me for the past three decades.

I encourage you to continue to work with me as we seek a #OneDurham.

Story out of place

Regarding the story “North Carolina is key to Democrats’ hope to regain majority in Congress” (Nov. 7)

Why didn’t you (Herald Sun and your owners) approach the subject by reporting, instead, on what the Republicans may need to do to maintain their historic majority? Just wondering. This article is an opinion and should be in the opinion section. You, i.e., media are trying to “advise” what the Democrat party needs to do. Making news, advising and cheerleading for one political party is not your job – reporting the already existing news is your job.