Leonardo Williams

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Leonardo Williams

| image = Leonardo Williams (closer crop).png

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Williams in 2022

| office = Mayor of Durham, North Carolina

| term_start = December 4, 2023

| predecessor = Elaine O'Neal

| successor =

| office2 = Durham City Council Member for Ward 3

| term_start2 = 2021

| term_end2 = 2023

| predecessor2 = Pierce Freelon

| successor2 = Chelsea Cook

| party = Democrat (current)
Independent (former)

| education = North Carolina Central University (BA, MA)

| spouse = Zwelibanzi Moyo

| children = 1

| occupation = businessman, politician, teacher, school administrator

}}

Leonardo Williams is an American politician, restaurateur, and former educator. He has served as the mayor of Durham, North Carolina since December 4, 2023. Prior to his term as mayor, Williams was a member of the Durham City Council. He and his wife own multiple restaurants in Durham including the first full-service Zimbabwean restaurant in the United States.

Early life and education

Williams grew up in Halifax County, North Carolina. His mother, Yolanda Bailey, served on the board of the North Carolina Teachers Association, the predecessor to the North Carolina Association of Educators.

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in music education and education psychology and a master's degree in educational leadership from North Carolina Central University. While a student at Central, Williams served as the North Carolina Central Eagles drum major.https://www.theassemblync.com/politics/leo-williams-mayor-durham/

Career

= Politics =

Williams served on the board of the Durham Association of Educators from 2008 to 2010. Although he described himself as a committed Democrat, he registered as an Independent during his time on the board so that Republicans would "pick up [his] calls."

Williams represented Ward 3 as a member of the Durham City Council from 2021 to 2023. According to a story published by Indy Week, Williams and Mayor Elaine O'Neal were both allegedly punched by Councilwoman DeDreana Freeman on March 23, 2023, when trying to restrain her during an argument between Freeman and Mayor Pro Tempore Mark-Anthony Middleton in the council chambers.{{Cite web |url=https://indyweek.com/news/durham/durham-city-council-member-allegedly-punched-two-fellow-council-members-including-the-mayor-following-testy-work-session/ |title=Durham City Council Member Allegedly Punched Two Fellow Council Members, Including the Mayor, Following Testy Work Session |work=Indy Week |date=April 3, 2023 |first=Thomasi |last=McDonald |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406024017/https://indyweek.com/news/durham/durham-city-council-member-allegedly-punched-two-fellow-council-members-including-the-mayor-following-testy-work-session/ |url-status=live }}

In 2023, he won the 2023 Durham mayoral election and was installed as the Mayor of Durham on December 4, 2023.{{Cite web |title=Leonardo Williams wins Durham mayoral bid, three others elected to City Council |url=https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023/11/duke-university-durham-2023-election-results-leonardo-williams-javiera-caballero-nate-baker-carl-rist-mayor-city-council |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=The Chronicle |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=WRAL |date=2023-11-07 |title='There's going to be a new culture': Leo Williams elected as new mayor of Durham |url=https://www.wral.com/story/there-s-going-to-be-a-new-culture-leo-williams-elected-as-new-mayor-of-durham/21138199/ |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=WRAL.com |language=en}} He is one of the youngest mayor's in Durham's history. He received endorsements from the People’s Alliance, the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, and Friends of Durham PACs.

= Education and business =

Williams worked as a school teacher and school administrator.https://www.durhamnc.gov/1329/About-the-Mayor He also served as the band director at Southern High School. He was twice recognized by Durham Public Schools as teacher of the year and was recognized by Triangle Business Journal as one of their "40 under 40" for innovative practices in education.

Williams and his wife opened Zweli's in 2018, a Zimbabwean restaurant in Durham named after his wife. The restaurant is the first full-service Zimbabwean restaurant in the United States. The couple later opened Ekhaya in the American Tobacco Campus in 2022, serving Bantu-inspired tapas.{{Cite web |last=Perkins |first=Erin |date=2021-11-01 |title=Zweli’s Owners Focus on Bantu Communities for Next Durham Restaurant |url=https://carolinas.eater.com/2021/11/1/22757198/zwelis-restaurant-ekhaya-durham |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=Eater Carolinas |language=en}} Williams also served as a member of Durham's city council for Ward 3.{{Cite web |title=Leonardo Williams {{!}} Durham, NC |url=https://www.durhamnc.gov/4664/Leonardo-Williams |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=www.durhamnc.gov}}{{Cite web |last=WRAL |date=2023-03-13 |title=Popular Durham restaurant is relocating to Brightleaf Square |url=https://www.wral.com/story/popular-durham-restaurant-is-relocating-to-brightleaf-square/20761746/ |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=WRAL.com |language=en}} Williams was sworn in as mayor on December 4, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Mary Helen |date=December 5, 2023 |title=New leaders take office in Durham. Here’s who’s in charge now. |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article282683443.html |website=The News & Observer}}