Prof Spencer Overton @SpencerOverton
African American Mayors Assoc. Names New Haven’s Mayor Harp First Woman President at Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
City solutions to national tech, policing and infrastructure challenges also discussed at organization’s annual conference
(WASHINGTON, DC) The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) welcomed hundreds of Mayors from across the country, federal policymakers, technology innovators and other thought-leaders to its annual conference in Washington, D.C this week. In the spirit of this year’s theme, “change, challenge and opportunity,” AAMA mayors connected with cross-sector stakeholders and leaders to share best practices and discuss strategies to influence policy-making in technology, gun violence, infrastructure, and more.
AAMA’s largest convening of the year, the event was held from Wednesday, April 26th to Friday, April 28th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.
New Haven, Connecticut Mayor Toni N. Harp, was sworn-in as the new AAMA President, the first woman to hold the position. She said, “I am honored my colleagues entrusted me to advance local policy priorities of AAMA members on the national stage. Urban issues are national issues because our communities are representative of the richness our country has to offer. AAMA mayors embrace that richness, connect unlikely partners, seize upon new opportunities borne of collaboration, and deliver the very best services and solutions to residents every day. I’m excited to bring these stories of success at the local to federal policymakers whose support is essential to make our cities even stronger.”
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and former Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, Anthony Foxx; Senator Tim Scott (R-SC); and Congressional Black Caucus Chair, Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), are among a host of other policymakers and leaders who participated in the conference this year.
Some of the conference highlights include a session exploring the benefits and challenges of smart city technologies, focused especially on the reforms needed to ensure communities of color are full beneficiaries when these new technologies are deployed; a session on removing local barriers to technology and increasing diversity in the tech industry to promote innovation; and a session on how local governments can position themselves to maximize potential new federal investment in infrastructure.
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About AAMA
Congrats to @MayorHarp for being sworn in as the new president of @OurMayors, our first woman president!
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.
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