In a brief masked and socially distant ceremony, with immediate family only, MaryAnn Carr was sworn in as Town of Bedford Supervisor on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, after Chris Burdick’s election to the New York State Assembly created a vacancy in the seat of the Bedford Supervisor. At their organizational meeting, the Bedford Town Board appointed Town Councilperson and Deputy Supervisor MaryAnn Carr to the position of Supervisor to fill out the term. She became the first and only African American to serve as Supervisor in Westchester County, and only the second Black Female to run a municipality in the history of Westchester.
MaryAnn also made history as the first African American to serve in elected office in local government in Bedford when she was elected in a special election on March 15, 2016, for an unexpired seat on the Town Board, and elected to a full 4-year term beginning in 2018. Before her historic appointment, Ms. Carr had a long tenure of working on the Bedford Democratic Committee. She continues her long history of working hard to support the many community organizations in the Town of Bedford.
MaryAnn chaired the Bedford Democratic Committee for six years. She has been an effective advocate for affordable housing, women’s rights, and criminal justice reform while supporting local businesses and the arts. She established a Greater Bedford Chapter of the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus (WBWPC) for the northern part of the county.
Some of MaryAnn’s notable achievements include leading the charge to elect the first Latino to the Bedford Town Board and the first woman of color to the Bedford Central School Board. During her tenure on the Town Board, twelve new affordable homes were built, and sewers were installed in the business districts of the two hamlets of Bedford (Bedford Hills and Katonah), one of the largest projects ever undertaken by the Town. She has been an avid supporter of criminal justice reform, and founded the Town of Bedford Prison Advisory Committee, the only such committee known that advises local and state governments on prison-related matters. She made it a priority to recruit and appoint diverse members to serve on local committees, boards, and commissions where there had been a lack of diversity.
She has also been active in Bedford community organizations for many years, Town Board Liaison to Recreation and Parks, Planning Department, Town Court, Bedford Central School District (BCSD), Chair, Community Organizations Committee, Active parent volunteer in Bedford Central School District (BCSD), Committee Member of Bedford 202 Food Forum, Board Member of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts, member of the Bedford Antioch Church engaged in outreach programs for the Community Center in Katonah, and volunteering in a leadership role in the Gala Annual Event for the Martin Luther King Scholarship for Youth.
As the proud parent of a now 24-year-old daughter, MaryAnn prioritizes children’s literacy and defends local libraries to elevate their educational and social impact. An active member of Antioch Baptist Church, she also volunteers regularly in several community programs. MaryAnn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the HBCU Jackson State University.
On Thursday, September 17, 2021, she was elected as the First Vice Chair of the Westchester Democratic County Committee (WCDC). MaryAnn is a resident of Bedford, NY, and has been an information technology consultant to Fortune 500 companies. Black Westchester proudly celebrates MaryAnn Carr, a Black Westchester Woman of Distinction.
Black Westchester celebrates MaryAnn Carr, a true Black Westchester Legend!
Excerpt from the book, “Black Westchester Celebrates Black Women Of Westchester,” available on Amazon or email BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com to purchase your autographed copies.
