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Mayor Sylvester Turner - Opp Ex

Source: Kevin Rawls / Radio One Houston

Mayor Sylvester Turner has a new position – President of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA).

Turner was sworn in Tuesday (May 11) and succeeds outgoing AAMA President, Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS of Newport News, Virginia.

“I am honored to lead the African American Mayors Association,” Turner said in a statement. 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.”

He continued, “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.”

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.

Turner says his mission as president of the AAMA is to uplift Black mayors’ voices on critical policy issues, particularly those that “disproportionately affect communities of color.” Among those include climate change, the support of Black businesses, funding for infrastructure, voting access and policing reform. He also intends to elevate innovative, effective programs from Black mayors nationwide who bolster communities of color and how the programs can be implemented elsewhere.

“It was an honor to lead the African American Mayors Association,” Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS said. “As I reflect on the past year, I am deeply proud of how our organization and mayors led on policing reform, support of HBCUs, COVID recovery and so much more. We speak on behalf of those who are often overlooked and marginalized and advocate for the change our nation needs to create strong, equitable communities. I am excited to see Mayor Turner advance the organization even further.”

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Mayor Turner Accepts Top Leadership Position On African American Mayors Association  was originally published on myhoustonmajic.com