Candidate Biography (submitted by campaign):

I am Mildred Atkinson Council, a native of Pitt County, born in October of 1949 and was adopted by James Russell and Doris Shaw Atkinson. I grew up in rural Pitt County, attended Sallie Branch Elementary School, and graduated from Bethel Union in 1967, and received my Bachelor in Sociology in 1971 from Shaw University, Raleigh, NC and earned a Master Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1974.

My husband, Walter B. Council and I have celebrated our thirty-third anniversary on August 7, 2009. We are the proud parents of two adults sons -- Walter Baker Council, II,  a graduate student in Urban Planning at Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland and Logan R. Council,M.P.A. Candidate '10', Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellow  at the University of Washington, Seattle. Both sons are Eagle Scouts.

I was employed as a Public Health Professional, retired with thirty-two years of service in November 2006 from the NC Department of Health and Human Services with the Sickle Cell Program. I served twenty-two years as a City Council Member for District # 1, Greenville. During my career with the state of North Carolina and the twenty-two years serving citizens in District # 1, I received numerous honors and awards for my commitment to service and leadership development for youth. An example of some of the awards are, Governor of North Carolina Order of The Long Leaf Pine, 2008 Congressional Record-110 Congress Second Session House of Representative Tribute (Long time community service), 2008 Publication of Duke University Alzheimer's African American Community Outreach Program (AACOP) Newsletter, National League of Cities Women in Municipal Government Leadership Award, 2009 Greenville Industrial CM Eppes High School Alumni Association 30 Anniversary Appreciation Award.

Thank you citizens of Greenville for allowing me the opportunity to serve for 22 years. I will continue to be  your strong voice serving with integrity. I've never taken the constituents for granted.

I've rallied the community to vote in all elections and given my time voluntarily for numerous candidates at the local, county, state and national levels. Highlights of the past two years of service include: initiator of bringing the Kaboom playground to Greenville-volunteered at the 2007 National League of Cities Conference  to build one in New Orleans, supporter of Nathaniel Village upscale moderate income housing, the Lucille Gorham Intergenerational Center, the Little Willie Center youth initiative, advisor to Our Journey Home ten-year plan to end chronic homelessness in Pitt County, advocate of Alzheimer's patients and families in private homes and long-term care facilities, promoter of cultural heritage tourism-charter member and chairperson of the Greenville African American Heritage Museum that was founded in February 2009, lobbied NC League of Municipalities 101st conference to Greenville October '09, supporter/founder of youth initiatives that  include Pitt County 4-H All-Stars Club, Ladies of Distinction, the Greenville Youth Council, and has presented three Mildred A. Council West Greenville Leadership Scholarships in '08 and '09.

My record of public service speaks for me: through continued advocacy for Greenville citizens, long term commitment to service, focus on youth leadership/development, preservation of families and neighborhoods, economic development, crime prevention, inclusive communities, promoting safer communities, continuing the development of regional transportation initiatives, increasing broader citizen participation, enhancing culture and recreational opportunities for citizens, revitalization of neighborhoods, and effective lobbying. Additionally I will continue to be a consultant to my constituents on various issues. I'm asking for your prayers, your vote and support during one-stop early voting October 15-31, 2009 or on Election Day, Tuesday November 3, 2009.