[Video] Durham Council Member Vernetta Alston Sworn In As State Representative

Raleigh, NC – Durham City Council Member Vernetta Alston was sworn-in  April 14 as the Representative for NC House District 29, filling the vacancy of Rep. MaryAnn Black following her passing on March 25, 2020. Alston was appointed by Governor Cooper earlier this week.

North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin has released the following statement:

“The North Carolina Democratic Party is thrilled to welcome Representative Vernetta Alston to the General Assembly. Rep. Alston has made a name for herself serving the Durham community, particularly with her support for affordable housing bonds and law enforcement reforms that address violent crime as well as racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. As she prepares to follow in the footsteps of lifelong public servant Rep. MaryAnn Black, we are confident Rep. Alston will carry on that legacy for many years to come.”

Born in Durham, NC, Alston has spent her entire life in the Triangle. In 2004, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University and five years later, finished her law degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Straight out of law school, she served as a staff attorney for the Racial Justice Act Studies following the passage of the Racial Justice Act. Alston spent the next eight years fighting for the constitutional rights of death row inmates and educating North Carolinians about the flaws in the criminal justice system. In 2014, through the work of the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, she got the longest-serving death row inmate in North Carolina history exonerated and released from prison.

Alston was elected to the Durham City Council in 2017, representing Ward 3. During her tenure, the Council has extended living wages to all City employees; supported those facing political harassment and deportation; started a participatory budgeting program; expanded language access; supported diversion programs for our justice-involved and those facing eviction; and made historic investments in affordable housing.

The Durham City Council is now accepting applications to fill the Ward 3 Council Seat for the unexpired term of former City Council Member Vernetta Alston. The person selected for this position will be asked to serve until November 2021, which is when the Ward 3 term expires.