Local activist announces candidacy for a seat on State College Borough Council
A sixth candidate, a local activist, has announced his intention to run for a seat on the State College Borough Council.
Divine Lipscomb, a county resident for the last 12 years, officially started his campaign in February, and a news release on the matter was issued Tuesday night. He is running for one of three open seats; the other candidates at this point include mayor Ron Filippelli, former councilwoman Cathy Dauler, councilwoman Katherine Yeaple, longtime resident Richard Biever and Penn State Professor Gopal Balachandran.
Lipscomb’s rise from the gang life in Brooklyn to a model Penn State adult learner has been well-documented. He was a featured speaker at the university’s 2019 State of State Conference, where he shared how he was imprisoned before burying himself in books, suffering a DUI and then persevering.
He’s running on a platform centered on combating poverty and reinforcing equity — and he counts himself among those living in poverty.
“This pandemic highlighted the economic disparities here and the borough’s dependency on the university as a way of staying afloat,” Lipscomb said in a written statement. “We need a stronger economy, equity and justice in all carceral, housing and health matters.”
The 38-year-old student in his final semester of coursework in Rehabilitation and Human Services emphasized that the community cannot continue to allow the richest 1% to sow divisions. And he said it was time for those living in poverty to have representation on council.
Lipscomb currently works as the special projects coordinator for the Restorative Justice Initiative in Penn State’s Higher Education in Prison program. He also founded Corrective Gentlemen, a nonprofit focused on advocacy and mentorship.
He was one of four recipients for the 2020 StandUp Award for Ethical Leadership, given annually to honor Penn State students who demonstrate the courage to stand behind a cause, idea or belief. And he was named last year’s Outstanding Adult Student, which goes to one University Park student who overcame obstacles while furthering his or her education.
The primary election is May 18.
“I am running to reimagine, reinvest and renew State College Borough,” Lipscomb added.
This story was originally published March 3, 2021 at 5:13 PM.
