Mount Vernon, NY — July 2025
In a city where legacy, resilience, and vision intersect, Mount Vernon, New York was one of the Summer 2025 stops on the Cities United’s Leading the Way Tour 2025, a national journey to spotlight the cities reimagining public safety and investing in the well-being of young Black men and boys.
Hosted in collaboration with Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard and the Office of Community Revitalization, the tour stop reflected the heart of what Cities United stands for: amplifying local solutions, empowering community voices, and co-creating strategies that make safety real, not rhetorical.
[INSERT QUOTE BLOCK: Mayor Patterson-Howard’s welcome remarks on investing in youth and building infrastructure for safety.]
Mount Vernon is not a stranger to challenge, or to change. From neighborhood reinvestment to new violence interruption efforts, the city is working across silos to build an ecosystem of care that meets the moment. During this tour stop, stakeholders gathered to assess, align, and deepen their commitment to a comprehensive public safety ecosystem rooted in justice, prevention, and healing.
Community Dinner & Press Briefing
Held at the historic Doles Center, this evening event brought together local officials, media, and grassroots leaders to spotlight what’s working and share powerful testimonies from the frontlines. Mayor Patterson-Howard and Cities United Executive Director Anthony Smith opened the evening with a call to action: “Safety isn’t a program. It’s a promise.”
[INSERT PHOTO: Community Dinner welcome remarks]
[INSERT QUOTE BLOCK: Anthony Smith on national-local partnerships]
📍Young Leader Cohort Engagement
A dynamic session was held for Mount Vernon’s young leaders, equipping them with tools to lead narrative change, drive local projects, and advocate for systems that meet their needs. This session positioned youth as co-designers of the ecosystem ahead.
[INSERT PHOTO: Youth group session in action]
[INSERT QUOTE: Young leader on the power of being heard]
📍Roadmap Bootcamp
With representatives from community-based organizations, city departments, and system partners in the room, the Roadmap Bootcamp helped stakeholders map Mount Vernon’s current efforts onto Cities United’s Public Safety Redefined framework. The session clarified where the city stands—and where it’s headed.
[INSERT PHOTO: Workshop facilitation + sticky notes]
[INSERT QUOTE: Participant reflection on collaboration]
The tour stop also produced tangible next steps, including:
[INSERT QUOTE BLOCK: Local partner on what the funding means for their work]
Looking Ahead
Mount Vernon is Leading the Way—not by going it alone, but by bringing the entire community with them. From youth mentorship to policy alignment, from press to porch talks, the momentum in Mount Vernon is real—and growing.
As the tour continues across the country, what we saw in Mount Vernon reminds us: change is not only possible—it’s already happening.
— [Young Leader]
Stay tuned for more stops and deeper stories at citiesunited.org/leadingtheway.
Cities United relies on a network of advocates, community leaders, and young voices. Be a part of the change.
