DeDreana Freeman and Mark-Anthony Middleton were elected to city council together in 2017. During their tenures, the pair have been strong advocates for Durham: Middleton led the effort to create Durham’s guaranteed income program, and has been the most consistent voice on council regarding gun violence, while Freeman, described by mayor Leonardo Williams as the city’s “equity watchdog,” implemented numerous programs focused on leveling the playing field for all Durham residents, particularly those who don’t have a platform.
But policy misalignments and public spats that at times felt like siblings chiding each other at the dinner table often positioned Freeman and Middleton as combatants rather than colleagues, but the two were inextricably linked.
“Our careers have had a quantum entanglement over the years,” Middleton said during Monday’s city council meeting…