The Honorable Joyce Ship-Freeman is an icon to breaking barriers. On January 6, 2020, during her first term on the Edison Township Council, Ship Freeman became the first African American, and currently, the only woman elected to the council. In addition, after teaching and mentoring special needs students as a special education teacher, in the Perth ‘Amboy Schools, she determined that she could serve the needs of students better in other ways. So, for over 20 years Ship Freeman served as a literacy coach and created and ran an afterschool tutorial program.  Not content with these accomplishments, she also served as the Minority President of NJEA, a trustee on the Edison Township Public Library board, a trustee of the local YMCA and a member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She uses her influence to exhort and push everyone around her to understand the upside of working collectively for the common good.

Education:

• The College of New Jersey, B.A.
• Kean University, M.S.