[6] Parker was born in Harlem, New York City to Dolores-Ann and Lawrence Phillips, and she was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey.
[1] She was married to Anthony Parker[3] The couple had one daughter, Alyssa, four-year-old at the time of her mother's death.
Traditionally, the council chose the member with the highest vote total in the election to serve as mayor.
[10][11][6] After the election, parker and Hameeduddin, who was chosen mayor despite having garnered fewer votes, worked together in a[12] coalition that dominated the City Council.
[16] Parker died in office after a respiratory illness at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey, on April 24, 2016, at the age of 44.
[8] The Urban League of Bergen County created a scholarship fund to pay for the education of Parker's daughter.