Knoxville, Tenn. – 25 March 2021 – Deidra Harper, a small business owner, and community leader, announces her candidacy for Knoxville City Council District 6.
Deidra, Business and Community liaison of B&B Lawn Services, Inc. and Partner of Elite Facility Maintenance, comes from a family of entrepreneurs. B&B Lawn Services is one of the oldest Black businesses in Knoxville. Serving on the Business Advisory Board with the City of Knoxville, Deidra and her siblings have started multiple companies and organizations in the city.
Deidra is a Co-Founder of The Women LLC and The Women Foundation, creating avenues to financing small Black business expansions and start-ups through crowdsourcing, community funding, and real estate investment.
With classmates from Knoxville, Deidra co-founded a non-profit, TENSE, Teaching to Eliminate Negative Stereotypes through Education. Since its founding in 2012, TENSE Summit has served more than 1000 at-risk youth and raised thousands of dollars to fund scholarships and school supplies.
Her campaign will focus on the critical issues of Community Growth, Business Investment, and Youth Empowerment.
“I’m running for City Council 6th District because there is an urgent need to bring an elevated vision to matters that are important to us like creating social investment opportunities, developing avenues that will allow businesses to grow, and funding youth enrichment programs. There is an urgent need for someone to effectively champion matters that will directly reduce the current 42% poverty rate in the 6th District. I carry within my heart to serve as a visionary for, and a voice of, the people,” said Deidra Harper, Knox.Biz 40 under 40, at a virtual meeting yesterday.
The campaign will host a socially distanced, mask required kickoff event at The Bottom. 202 Randolph St, Knoxville, TN 37917, this Sunday, March 28, from 2 PM – 6 PM. Food and refreshments will be provided.
