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Meet NC’s Mayors — Mitch Colvin of Fayetteville

The sixth largest city in the state, Fayetteville boasts the largest military base in the world, Fort Bragg.
The sixth largest city in the state, Fayetteville boasts the largest military base in the world, Fort Bragg.
The sixth largest city in the state, Fayetteville boasts the largest military base in the world, Fort Bragg.
Credit Steven R. Shook / Schiffer Publishing
The sixth largest city in the state, Fayetteville boasts the largest military base in the world, Fort Bragg.

He leads in ribbon-cuttings and celebrations of life. Mitch Colvin took over his family’s funeral home before running for office. His day-job provides insight into buileint community in difficult times. Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin and host Frank Stasio continue the Meet NC's Mayors series with a conversation about second chances for Colvin and his community.

 

Mitch Colvin assumed leadership of his family's funeral home at age 21.
Credit City of Fayetteville
Mitch Colvin assumed leadership of his family's funeral home at age 21.

He rose to prominence after speaking out against the city’s lack of investment in his neighborhood, the core of Fayetteville’s African American community along Murchison Road.

Now mayor for over two years, the intricate balancing act between his dual roles is only heightened during the pandemic. Critics leapt on the mayor for putting in place a strict curfew, which ends May 8. Meanwhile, he must comfort a grieving family that lost their young father. 

Mayor Mitch Colvin joins host Frank Stasio to continue the NC Mayors series with a discussion about the role of race in public health and community leadership.

 

Copyright 2020 North Carolina Public Radio

Grant Holub-Moorman is a producer for The State of Things, WUNC's daily, live talk show that features the issues, personalities and places of North Carolina.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.