(Mount Vernon, NY) - The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) is excited to announce the appointment of AAMA 1st Vice President and Mount Vernon, NY Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard as the new President to lead the national nonprofit organization. Mayor Patterson-Howard was officially sworn in on Friday during AAMA’s national conference in Washington, D.C. “We are thrilled that Mayor Patterson-Howard is taking the helm at this pivotal juncture as AAMA supports its member mayors throughout the country and elevates its presence in the business and public sector,” said AAMA CEO Phyllis Dickerson. “We thank outgoing president Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. for his outstanding accomplishments during his term with the organization and for uniquely positioning us to meet the urgent needs of our members.”Patterson-Howard has been mayor of Mount Vernon, NY since 2020. She is the first woman elected mayor in that city’s 200-plus year history and has more than three decades of experience in public service. She became known as a leader in the early fight against the HIV-AIDS epidemic, a social worker, and non-profit executive director. Born and raised in Mount Vernon, she is well known for her trailblazing work in public health, addiction and health equity, immigration programming and public safety, as well as the establishment of the county’s first drug treatment court. During her inaugural term, Patterson-Howard rose to the national stage with her unapologetic advocacy for women’s health, environmental justice, public safety and economic development, and resources to remedy the remnants of racist infrastructure.“I am honored and grateful to serve as the new President of the African American Mayors Association, and I want to express my deepest appreciation to all of you for trusting me with this responsibility,” said Mayor Patterson-Howard. “I also want to extend my thanks to Frank, AAMA staff and the entire leadership team for their stewardship and service to AAMA over the last year.” During her one-year term, Patterson-Howard plans to leverage the collective strength of the association to deliver real impact for historically underserved and marginalized communities. She plans to be a strong voice for all Black Mayors, regardless of the size of their platforms, and focus on developing strategic partnerships with nationally allied organizations and leaders. AAMA's policy priorities will be anchored around key areas that are critical to the well-being of its communities. The association will prioritize public safety, address the affordability crisis, improve healthcare access, and build and reinforce 21st century cities through investments in transportation and infrastructure, as well as environmental justice.
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