Editor’s note: The following is a statement written by Mount Vernon Mayoral Candidate Shawyn Patterson-Howard, not Black Westchester.
Mount Vernon, NY—May 6, 2019,—Mount Vernon mayoral candidate Shawyn Patterson- Howard today called for a Democratic debate ahead of the primary in the hotly contested race.
“Voters deserve to hear the candidates stand alongside one another to discuss their ideas, and present their visions for Mount Vernon,” says Patterson-Howard, a fourth generation Mount Vernon resident and award-winning public sector executive. “We need less bickering and character attacks and more discourse around policy and our respective platforms. The people of Mount Vernon want a leader who will bring integrity and effectiveness into the office. There is no better way for them to choose a Mayor than by comparing the character, temperament, and objectives of each candidate in a spirited exchange of ideas.”
Patterson-Howard called on her opponents to join her onstage to engage in an open dialogue. “We have a responsibility to ensure that people can make an informed decision based on our policies and goals for the office. It’s the only way to demonstrate that we are truly up for the
challenge.”
In a crowded field of candidates, Shawyn Patterson-Howard stands out as a community builder and skilled administrator with more than two decades of experience in public and civil service and a reputation for bridging gaps among diverse groups helping them work together on common goals.
As the first woman and person of color named President and CEO of the YMCA of Yonkers, she built a coalition of 85 local partners that won a national competition conducted by the national YMCA of the USA in partnership with the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to
test collaborative strategies to reduce health disparities.
Creating cross-sector collaborations and public-private partnerships have been a cornerstone of her storied career, which includes serving as the Commissioner of Planning and Community Development and the Director of the Mount Vernon Renewal Agency in 2016. If elected Mayor, Patterson-Howard will focus on strengthening the local community and using her relationships on the city, county, state and federal levels to bolster Mount Vernon and restore trust in the city’s leadership. Patterson-Howard, a proud fourth generation Mount Vernon resident, will work tirelessly to make the city a place that honors the past while innovating for the future; a city that taps the public and private sectors to help foster growth and evolution that respects its vibrant and diverse population; and a city that benefits all the people of Mount Vernon, and not simply a privileged few.
