{{short description|American politician}} {{infobox officeholder | name = Sekou Biddle | alma_mater = Morehouse College | profession = Teacher | office = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia At-large | image = File:Sekou Biddle at Greater Greater Washington Candidate Forum 2012.jpg | term_start = January 6, 2011 | term_end = May 10, 2011 | predecessor = Kwame R. Brown | successor = Vincent Orange }} '''Sekou Biddle''' is a politician in Washington, D.C.
==Early years and education== Biddle was raised in Columbia Heights in Washington, D.C.,<ref name=wants>{{cite news |title=Sekou Biddle Wants To Be Your Councilmember |first=Alan |last=Suderman |work=Washington City Paper |date=January 19, 2011 |url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2011/01/19/sekou-biddle-wants-to-be-your-councilmember/ }}</ref> and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School,<ref name=wp>{{cite news |title= Biddle Promised Hands-On Strategy |date= August 23, 2007 |first= Theola |last= Labbé |work= The Washington Post |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082201099.html }}</ref> where he played football.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilson Overhauls Anacostia |work=The Washington Post |date=October 2, 1988 |first=Richard W.C. |last=Lin |page=D12 }}</ref> Biddle graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in business administration.<ref name=wp/>
==Professional career== Following graduation, he taught at an elementary school in the Bronx borough of New York City, through Teach for America.<ref name=wp/> He later taught at an elementary school in Atlanta, became a math teacher at the Knowledge Is Power Program KEY Academy in the District in 2005,<ref name=wp/> and then became director of community outreach for the Knowledge Is Power Program.<ref name=wants/>
==Political career== Biddle was one of eight candidates in a 2007 special election to represent District 2 (wards 3 and 4) in the District of Columbia State Board of Education.<ref name=2007s>{{cite web |title= Certified Official Results Report |work= District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date= May 1, 2007 |url= http://www.dcboee.org/popup.asp?url=/pdf_files/pn_111.pdf }}</ref> Biddle's candidacy focused on his upbringing and educational work in the District.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biddle Chosen to Fill District 2 Board Seat |first=Theola |last=Labbé |work=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/02/AR2007050200003.html |date=May 2, 2007}}</ref> Biddle's candidacy was endorsed by The Washington Post's editorial board<ref>{{cite news |title=The D.C. Special Election |format=editorial |work=The Washington Post |date=April 15, 2007 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/14/AR2007041401205.html }}</ref> and the District's Gertrude Stein Democratic Club.<ref>{{cite news |title=Where the Boys Aren't |work=The Washington Post |date=April 12, 2007 |last=Stewart |first=Nikita |last2=Silverman |first2=Elissa |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/11/AR2007041100830.html }}</ref> Biddle won the election with 30% of the vote.<ref name=2007s/>
In 2008, the composition of the District of Columbia State Board of Education was changed from five mayoral-appointed members and four elected members to only nine elected members, one from each ward and one at-large member. Biddle ran uncontested to represent Ward 4.<ref>{{cite news |title=School Body Prepares for All-Elected Status for the First Time in 12 Years |first=Timothy |last=Wilson |date=November 5, 2008 |work=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/04/AR2008110403874.html }}</ref> His candidacy was endorsed by ''The Washington Post''{{'}}s editorial board.<ref>{{cite news |title=For D.C.'s School Board |format=editorial |work=The Washington Post |date=November 1, 2008 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103600.html }}</ref> Biddle also became executive director of Jumpstart for Young Children, a nonprofit organization that prepares children for elementary school.<ref name=pick>{{cite news |title=D.C. Democrats to pick interim at-large council member |work=The Washington Post |date=January 4, 2011 |last=Craig |first=Tim |last2=DeBonis |first2=Mike |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/04/AR2011010404963.html }}</ref>
Following Kwame Brown's swearing in as chair of the Council of the District of Columbia in 2011, the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee announced an election by its members to replace Brown as at-large member of the Council.<ref name=pick/> Biddle, former Council member Vincent Orange, and six others filed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eight File with Democrats to Replace Kwame Brown |work=Washington Informer |first=James |last=Wright |date=15 December 2010 |url= http://www.washingtoninformer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5182:eight-file-with-democrats-to-replace-kwame-brown&catid=50:local&Itemid=113 }}</ref> Brown endorsed Biddle for the position, as did Council members Harry Thomas Jr., Mary Cheh, Muriel Bowser, Yvette Alexander, and Marion Barry.<ref name=pick/> District mayor Vincent Gray said he supported Brown's endorsement of Biddle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor stops just short of endorsing Sekou Biddle |first=Nikita R |last=Stewart |work=The Washington Post |date=January 6, 2011 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/mayor_vincent_gray_stops_just.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722204857/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/mayor_vincent_gray_stops_just.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2012 }}</ref> On January 6, 2011, Biddle was chosen by the Committee as at-large member of the Council.<ref name=council>{{cite news |title=D.C. Democrats secretly select Biddle |work=The Washington Post |date=January 7, 2011 |first=Tim |last=Craig |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/dc_democrats_secretly_select_b.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009121233/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/dc_democrats_secretly_select_b.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 9, 2012 }}</ref>
Biddle announced that he would run for the position in a special election to be held on April 26, 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biddle picked for vacant council seat |first=Tim |last=Craig |date=January 7, 2011 |work=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/06/AR2011010607102.html }}</ref> Other candidates in the race include former Council member Vincent Orange,<ref>{{cite news |title=Vincent Orange says 'it's full speed ahead' for D.C. council bid |first=Tim |last=Craig |date=January 19, 2011 |work=The Washington Post |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/vince_oranges_says_its_full_sp.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010004859/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/vince_oranges_says_its_full_sp.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 10, 2012 }}</ref> District Board of Education member Patrick Mara,<ref>{{cite news |title=Patrick Mara to run for D.C. Council at-large seat |first=Mike |last=DeBonis |date=January 19, 2011 |work=The Washington Post |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2011/01/patrick_mara_to_run_for_dc_cou.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009174204/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2011/01/patrick_mara_to_run_for_dc_cou.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 9, 2012 }}</ref> and community activist Bryan Weaver.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bryan Weaver enters at-large race |first=Tim |last=Craig |work=The Washington Post |date=January 19, 2011 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/bryan_weaver_enters_at-large_r.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716201858/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/bryan_weaver_enters_at-large_r.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 16, 2012 }}</ref> Mayor Vincent Gray endorsed Biddle's candidacy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vince Gray Gives Biddle a rousing endorsement |first=Tim |last=Craig |work=The Washington Post |date=January 21, 2011 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/vince_gray_gives_biddle_a_rous.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010004944/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2011/01/vince_gray_gives_biddle_a_rous.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 10, 2012 }}</ref> Biddle placed third in the special election, losing to former Council member Vincent Orange.<ref>{{cite web|title=Official Results of the April 26, 2011 Special Election |url=http://www.dcboee.us/2011_special/results.asp |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625023905/http://www.dcboee.us/2011_special/results.asp |archivedate=June 25, 2011 }}</ref> Biddle's temporary appointment expired on May 10, 2011, when Vincent Orange was sworn into office.
==Personal life== Biddle lives in Shepherd Park with his wife and children.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sekou Biddle |work=State Board of Education |publisher=Government of the District of Columbia |accessdate=January 10, 2011 |url=http://oe.dc.gov/sboe/cwp/view,a,1388,q,574724.asp }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|3}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://sekoubiddle.com/}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-dc}} {{s-bef|before=Kwame R. Brown}} {{s-ttl |title=At-Large Member, {{nowrap|Council of the District of Columbia}} |years=January 6, 2011 – May 10, 2011}} {{s-aft|after=Vincent Orange}} {{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biddle, Sekou}} Category:African-American people in Washington, D.C., politics Category:Living people Category:Morehouse College alumni Category:Members of the Council of the District of Columbia Category:Members of the District of Columbia Board of Education Category:Washington, D.C., Democrats Category:Woodrow Wilson High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century African-American politicians