Stormie Denise Forte is an American lawyer, radio host, and politician. She is the first

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

woman to serve on the Raleigh City Council. She was appointed to the council on July 14, 2020 and represents District D, which encompasses Southwest

Raleigh Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...

. On July 8, 2022, Stormie filed to run for Raleigh's at-large district in the 2022 Raleigh election.

Biography

Forte is a native of

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...

. She graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School in 1989. She has a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and a master of science degree in rehabilitation counseling and psychology from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

. Forte is a member of

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

. She graduated from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2002. Forte was appointed to the Raleigh City Council on July 14, 2020, making her the first

woman to serve on the council. She is the Representative of

's District D, which includes

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

, Glenwood South, and Dix Hill. Forte filled a vacant seat on the council, which had belonged to Martin. Martin resigned from the council due to sexual assault allegations. Forte was elected by members of the city council, and by Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, out of fifty-four candidates. She received 6 out of the 7 votes. She ran with a platform to create access to more affordable housing, address concerns related to tensions between citizens and the Raleigh Police Department, and to create more economic development opportunities for local minority-owned small businesses. On being appointed, Forte stated: “I can honestly say I am a little emotional thinking of the historical impact of being selected. Being Black and being female and being a person within the LGBTQ community — all those things make up the person I am.” Forte is a lawyer. She works at Obsidian Consulting Services, where she works with local companies and business organizations. She is also a volunteer with the Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon & Half Marathon, Hopscotch Music Festival, Rex Hospital Open, and the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County. She is also a member of the Raleigh Wake Citizens Association and the Wake County Voter Education Coalition. She serves on the North Carolina Science Museum Friends Advisory Board, the Clarence Y Lightner Achiever's Advisory Board, the North Carolina Commission for Racial and Ethnic Disparities, and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and University Ethics Bowl Advisory Committee. Forte also hosts a weekly radio show, called ''The Art of Listening'', on Choice FM 92.1.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forte, Stormie Living people 21st-century American lawyers 21st-century American women politicians 21st-century African-American women politicians 21st-century African-American politicians African-American radio personalities Delta Sigma Theta members African-American LGBTQ people American LGBTQ city council members American LGBTQ broadcasters Deputy mayors of places in North Carolina LGBTQ people from North Carolina Needham B. Broughton High School alumni North Carolina Central University alumni University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni North Carolina Democrats North Carolina lawyers Raleigh City Council members African-American city council members in North Carolina American women radio hosts 21st-century North Carolina politicians 21st-century American women lawyers Year of birth missing (living people) Women city councillors in North Carolina 21st-century African-American lawyers