Houston Mayor Sworn In As The New President of the African American Mayors Association

Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston, Texas was sworn in (virtually) as the new President of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA). Turner takes over for outgoing AAMA President, Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS of Newport News, Virginia.

“I am honored to lead the African American Mayors Association. The nation’s 500+ Black mayors play a crucial role in advancing our nation forward. We have a unique understanding of the needs of our local communities and the tailored policies necessary to address them. We are also deeply in tune with the challenges communities of color face and the support needed to overcome those obstacles,” said Turner. “As I look to the future of AAMA, I look forward to elevating our voices on the most pressing issues facing our nation. Black political leaders can and should be a driving force on climate change, voting rights, and so much more.”

As president of AAMA, Mayor Turner will uplift Black mayors’ voices on critical policy issues, particularly those that disproportionately affect communities of color. He will advocate for efforts to tackle climate change, support Black businesses, bolster funding for infrastructure, expand voting access, and address policing reform, among others. He will also elevate innovative, effective programs from Black mayors nationwide that bolster communities of color and can be replicated elsewhere.

The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) is the only organization exclusively representing over 500 African-American mayors across the United States. AAMA seeks to empower local leaders for the benefit of their citizens. The role of the AAMA includes taking positions on public policies that impact the vitality and sustainability of cities; providing mayors with leadership and management tools; and creating a forum for member mayors to share best practices related to municipal management.

Kentucky city's first African American mayor sworn in

Hundreds of people came out to watch history being made. On Saturday afternoon, Beverly Chester-Burton was sworn in as the City of Shively's (Kentucky) first African American mayor.

Burton’s journey started as a sharecropper’s daughter from Hopkinsville, Kentucky. However, she made a pit stop in Shively, becoming the city’s first African American mayor.

“I like to think that I am modeling the way for a lot of others that are interested in taking this journey, “ Burton said.

Burton has been dedicated to Shively since her ten years as a city council member. She stayed dedicated after she lost her first mayoral campaign in 2008. Her former UofL classmate and city council member Maria Johnson said when Burton became the first African American on the city council, she knew that was just the beginning.

[SOURCE: WAVE]

LaToya Cantrell elected mayor of New Orleans

LaToya Cantrell was coasting to victory and into the history books on Saturday, becoming New Orleans’ first female mayor. With more than a third of the voters counted, she was on the way to a resounding win against her opponent, former Judge Desiree Charbonnet who, despite a substantial early fundraising edge, could not recover from political action committee attacks that largely did the political dirty work and allowed Cantrell to keep her hands clean.

With a sizable mandate, Cantrell will take over as New Orleans’ 51st mayor as the city marks the 300th anniversary of its founding.

"Almost 300 years, my friends, and New Orleans, we're still making history," Cantrell said to supporters at New Orleans Jazz Market in Central City.

Cantrell told the crowd she had spoken to Charbonnet over the phone and congratulated her on making history. "Our history was two women making that runoff, and we both deserve to be proud of that," Cantrell said.

Cantrell started the race as an against-the-odds candidate who struggled to raise money early in the race. She finally broke out of the fundraising slump once she topped Charbonnet by nine points in the Oct. 14 primary.

Read more: LaToya Cantrell elected New Orleans' first female mayor