Meet Anjanée Bell: No Holding Back. This Is It.
Anjanée Bell (pronounced AHN-jah-NAY) is not running to maintain what is—she is running to build what is next.
She is Durham. Born into a legacy of service, she watched her father dedicate 47 years to this city—16 of them as mayor. She learned firsthand that leadership is not about holding a title—it is about holding the line, taking the hits, and making bold decisions that move people forward.
Her mother, an economist, an educator, a keeper of her home, was a powerful force in her own right—proof that intellect and grace, wisdom and strength, love and discipline can all exist in the same space. Anjanée was raised to think critically, move boldly, and always leave something better than she found it.
She carries that charge forward—not just as a leader, but as a single mother of three, raising the next generation of dreamers, builders, and leaders. She understands what it means to carry the weight, to create something from nothing, to push forward when every challenge says stop.
That is why she does not wait for doors to open—she builds them.
A Legacy of Leadership in Action
Durham Public Schools | Dance Educator (2001–2016)
Anjanée Bell was raised in Durham—educated in Durham Public Schools before returning to teach in the same system. She has seen education as a student, an educator, and a mother whose children have attended public, private, and charter schools. Few have experienced education from these many perspectives.
She stepped into the classroom with a purpose—to build excellence, not just teach dance.
Dancers trained with the intensity of athletes. The expectation was high performance, high discipline, high results. Confidence was built, limits were pushed, and futures were shaped.
Scholarships. Awards. Careers. But beyond that—resilience, drive, and belief in something greater.
Her classroom became more than a place to train. It became a place to belong.
Some walked in unsure of their place in the world. Many walked out knowing exactly who they were.
That is leadership—challenging, inspiring, and preparing people for more.
Bellan Contemporary Dance Theatre | Executive Director (2006–2017)
A vision became a reality. A space became a movement.
Bellan Contemporary Dance Theatre was founded to create opportunity where it was missing.
More than a dance company—a platform for artists to train, perform, and be seen.
Anjanée created space for those often overlooked. Talent is everywhere, but access is not. Bellan ensured that the two met.
Audiences witnessed excellence. Dancers experienced transformation.
Those who stepped into Bellan left different than they arrived.
That is leadership—building what does not yet exist and elevating what is possible.
HEROES in the Park | Executive Producer (2017)
Some moments are created. Some moments define a city.
HEROES in the Park turned Durham Bulls Stadium into a red-carpet stage for community, culture, and excellence.
The city came together to celebrate Mayor Bill Bell’s 47 years of service. But this was not just a night of recognition—it was a statement about Durham’s future.
The experience was immersive. Every detail—from the performances to the setting—curated to reflect Durham at its absolute best.
People left inspired. Some left thinking differently about what is possible.
That is leadership—setting the standard, elevating the vision, and bringing people together.
North Carolina Arts Council | Director of Dance and Outreach (2017–2018)
Leadership is not about waiting for more opportunity. It is about creating it.
Before Anjanée Bell stepped into statewide leadership, only 14 dance artists and organizations applied for grants each year. Under her leadership, that number more than tripled to 50.
Doors were opened. More voices were heard. More artists stepped into opportunities that once felt distant.
She strengthened the process—bringing in respected arts leaders to ensure that funding reflected artistic excellence, equity, and impact.
Statewide grants, fellowships, and service awards were not just managed. They were transformed.
That is leadership—expanding the field, raising the standard, and ensuring more people have access to opportunity.
North Carolina State Parks | Director of Arts in the Parks (2018–Present)
A new space. A new challenge. A chance to do something different.
Anjanée Bell traveled to all 41 of North Carolina’s state parks. She met with leadership, listened to staff, and saw opportunities to connect arts, education, and community engagement to these natural spaces.
Art in the Box. The Tile Project. Poetry in the Park. These programs brought artists and communities into parks in ways that had never been seen before.
Leadership is about ensuring people see themselves in places where they have not always been invited.
That is leadership—expanding access, creating engagement, and building lasting connections.
Leadership That Moves Durham Forward
To prepare for this charge, she drove Uber and Lyft—not because she had to, but because she wanted to see the city through the eyes of its people. The early mornings, the late nights, the conversations with everyday Durham—she listened. She learned. She saw the struggle, the resilience, the hope, and the undeniable hunger for something greater.
Anjanée does not ask for permission to lead—she leads.
She thrives in spaces where people say, “That cannot be done.” She builds what does not yet exist, transforms what others overlook, and pushes past every limit placed in her way.
But this is bigger than the arts. This is about leadership.
Anjanée rallies for those often left out of the conversation. She creates tables where everyone is invited—but make no mistake, the choice to take a seat is yours. She believes in setting high standards, making bold decisions, and ensuring that every person who lives, learns, works, invests, and plays in Durham has a real stake in its future.
She does not back down. She does not hesitate.
She knows what it means to fight for a better future—because she does it every single day.
For her family.
For this city.
For the next generation.
Durham is not waiting. We are moving.
We build. We lead. We move.
No Holding Back. This Is It.
The Bottom Line
Anjanée Bell is a builder. A creator. A force for what is next.
A builder of excellence, opportunity, and spaces where people see what is possible.
From the classroom to the stage, from grant-making to state parks—doors are not waited on. They are built.
Durham moves forward with leadership that is bold, clear, and committed to progress.
The path is set. The charge is clear.
Let us lead first. Let us lead to victory.