Shawyn Patterson-Howard

Shawyn Patterson-Howard was born and raised in the city of Mount Vernon and became the city's first female mayor in 2020. She emerged as a trailblazer during the early days of the HIV-AIDS epidemic, national drug addiction, and housing crises, leveraging a pragmatic style developed through her experience as a social worker, non-profit CEO, and three decades in public service. An alumna of Howard University, she continued her education while raising a family, earning a master’s in public administration and urban planning. She gained national recognition for her advocacy, addressing challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to gun violence prevention, equitable economic development, and environmental justice. Notable achievements include preserving the city's only hospital and obtaining over $400 million in grant funding for crucial infrastructure projects, environmental justice initiatives, and economic development. Beyond politics, she actively engages in volunteerism and holds key positions on local and national boards — such as the presidency of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), the only organization exclusively representing African-American mayors in the United States. Patterson-Howard has focused on empowerment, collaboration, equity, justice, the care economy, and service to her community to set Mount Vernon on a path of growth, resilience, equity, and sustainability for all its stakeholders.