Claretta Duckett-Freeman

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Claretta Duckett-Freeman

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 2, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

Michigan State University, 2011

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

2001 - 2007

Personal

Birthplace

Chicago, IL

Religion

Christian

Profession

Firefighter/EMT

Contact

Campaign website

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Claretta Duckett-Freeman ran for election for an at-large seat of the Lansing City Council in Michigan. She lost in the general election on November 2, 2021.

Duckett-Freeman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Claretta Duckett-Freeman was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lives in Lansing, Michigan. Duckett-Freeman graduated from Michigan State University in 2011. She served in the United States Army from 2001 to 2007. Her career experience includes working as an EMT, firefighter, prep cook, school bus driver, and preschool teacher.

Duckett-Freeman has been affiliated with Black Lives Matter Lansing, Mothering Justice, Willow Tree Family Center, and Improving Birth.

Elections

2021

See also: City elections in Lansing, Michigan (2021)

General election

General election for Lansing City Council At-Large (2 seats)

Incumbent Peter Spadafore and Jeffrey Brown defeated Claretta Duckett-Freeman and Rachel Willis in the general election for Lansing City Council At-Large on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Peter Spadafore (Nonpartisan)	30.5	9,296
✔	Submit photo	Jeffrey Brown (Nonpartisan)	24.0	7,307
		Claretta Duckett-Freeman (Nonpartisan)	23.3	7,110
	Submit photo	Rachel Willis (Nonpartisan)	22.2	6,767

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,480
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Lansing City Council At-Large (2 seats)

The following candidates ran in the primary for Lansing City Council At-Large on August 3, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Peter Spadafore (Nonpartisan)	29.4	6,187
✔	Submit photo	Jeffrey Brown (Nonpartisan)	17.2	3,633
✔	Submit photo	Rachel Willis (Nonpartisan)	14.2	2,999
✔		Claretta Duckett-Freeman (Nonpartisan)	13.5	2,848
	Submit photo	Linda Keefe (Nonpartisan)	10.0	2,103
	Submit photo	Linda Appling (Nonpartisan)	8.9	1,868
	Submit photo	Grant Blood II (Nonpartisan)	4.3	897
		D. Taft (Nonpartisan)	2.4	501
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	30

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 21,066
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Claretta Duckett-Freeman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Duckett-Freeman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Claretta Duckett-Freeman is a 16 year resident of Lansing. She and her husband Daro raise 5 children who attend Lansing Public Schools. Claretta served in the Army Reserves as a Combat Medic and Mental Health Specialist. She graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Education and Political Science. Claretta spent most of her time in Lansing doing volunteer work in church and several organizations while raising her 5 children whose ages range from 6 to 15. Claretta is a board member of Willow Tree Family Center and the Michigan Board of Licensed Midwifery. She was a Mothering Justice Fellow and coordinated Improving Birth rallies in Lansing for several years. You may have seen Claretta on posters promoting Breastfeeding as she was the first Black Certified Lactation Counselor in Lansing. In the last 3 years, Claretta decided to stop being a homemaker and to start a new career as a firefighter-EMT. One of Claretta’s passions is for Black women and children to be whole and healthy, mentally and physically.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Defund the police and invest in our citizens.
• Oppression is morally wrong and our city should not tolerate racism, sexual harassment, homophobia or transphobia.
• Development in the city should not push out marginalized people and our city's activities should be accessible to all people.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm very passionate about physical and mental health. I believe our taxes should go to improving our wellbeing whether that is investing in schools, health programs, parks and recreation. Investing in our people lowers crime and endears people to the city. I believe that punitive measures of controlling human behavior are outdated and inhumane. I work for a day where the prison system is abolished and the money spent on prisons and jails go to therapist and childcare. Our taxes should improve the lives of the citizenry because it belongs to the people.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

I believe that local government is more important than the federal government. Often there is less bureaucracy and it is easier to hold official accountable when they are your neighbor. T he decisions city council makes can affect us immediately. Ordinance changes can make the difference of someone being charged with a misdemeanor or just receiving a civil infraction. Budget decisions can change an entire group of children's life trajectory.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Honestly, I look up to Jesus. I know in this day and age that sounds corny. But, I want to love people radically. I want to be courageous and stand with people, especially people who society ignores and devalues. Jesus stood with women during a time when women were still treated like property. He ate with ostracized people and encouraged them to be better people. He ate with poor people and gave them hope. He promised a tomorrow where things would be good. I cannot make any promises about everyone's wellbeing. I'm no demigod but I can make promises about my actions and show my determination.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Breathe Act at breatheact.org and the developing local breathe act https://www.oneloveglobal.org/lansingpeoplesassembly

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe that honesty is the most important characteristic for an elected official.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe my ability to imagine a hopeful future and my ability to listen to the people affected will make me a successful leader.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility is the desire to talk to different kids of people and the availability to reach out to people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want my legacy to be that I loved people and that I listened to them. I want people to see and know that I genuinely care for their wellbeing.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

When I was 19 years old, I was in my job training for the Army. Our sergeant turned on the television and we watched the twin towers fall. People were sent to Iraq initially and I remember being confused about why Iraq was chosen when terrorists in Afghanistan were said to be responsible. Iraqi women and children were being killed. When my unit was activated months later, I asked my Major why was the line so blurry. What were we fighting for? She was an immigrant from the Philippine Islands. She told me not to worry about it and to do what we were told. We live in the greatest country in the world. But I was starting to doubt that. I told her this is not like World War 2. Something about this feels off. I was glad our unit was spit up and I was sent back to Illinois and not Iraq or Afghanistan. I wanted to be sure that what I was doing was the right thing. I wasn't afraid to go to war as much as I was afraid to cause harm to undeserving people.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Little Women is my favorite book because their family was advanced in seeing women as capable of being educated and they refused to buy clothing made by people who had been enslaved. They had very high ideals and did not force their daughters to find husbands and would not allow people to hit their children even though it was culturally acceptable.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would be Wonder Woman if I could be anyone I want to be. She is smart, strong, fast and cares so much for humankind.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Jill Scott- Hate on me

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Money has been a struggle for me. I always felt that staying at home with my children was what I wanted to do but we had children before we finished college and so we have always struggled with debt. I could probably make more money if I had a different drive. However my children need so much from me and they are only children a short while. So I still choose jobs that are part-time or have strange hours so I can be available to them more often than not.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The city council can investigate all departments and people of the City government.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

It could be beneficial to have experience except when experience keeps office holders from coming up with innovative ideas to improve the lives of the citizenry

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I believe the most helpful skills for holders of city council would be compassion, creativity and relatability.

Tell us your favorite joke.

It is probably too inappropriate.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Lansing City Council At-Large

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