Mayor Ed Gainey Participates in Fall Convening of Pennsylvania Black Mayors Alliance
Since entering office, Mayor Gainey has worked to convene Black Mayors to address region’s most pressing issues
PITTSBURGH – On Monday, Mayor Ed Gainey participated in the fall convening of the Pennsylvania Black Mayors Alliance in Harrisburg, PA. Since March, Mayor Gainey has prioritized creating an advocacy platform for Black Mayors in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The group has been meeting since March in order to address the region’s most pressing issues including gun violence and policing, infrastructure, affordable housing, education and workforce initiatives, technology and parks and recreation. After an overwhelming positive response, Mayor Gainey and Mayor Wanda Williams of Harrisburg, have worked to expand the initiative statewide which now allows Black Mayors from across the state to share resources and best practices.
“Critical issues that impact all of our lives do not stop at the border of our individual cities, boroughs, or townships said Mayor Ed Gainey. “By coming together as a collective we can advocate for our entire region in a way that has never happened before – and that is why I have been working to bring this group of leaders together. Building strong regional partnerships is key to a thriving Pittsburgh for all of us.”
Monday’s meeting was hosted the Pennsylvania Chamber for Black Owned Businesses (PACBOB). The Chamber was launched last year and works at the state level, serving as an umbrella organization for regional chambers like the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Central PA and their counterparts across the state.
Participating Mayors included:
- Mayor Ed Gainey
- Mayor Wanda Williams, Harrisburg
- Mayor Betty Copeland, Bridgeville
- Mayor Chris Frye, New Castle
- Mayor Ciera Dent, Steelton
- Mayor Delia Lennon Winstead, Braddock
- Mayor Derek Slaughter, Williamsport
- Mayor Dontae Comans, Wilkinsburg
- Mayor Dwan B. Walker, Aliquippa
- Mayor Jaime Kinder, Meadville
- Mayor Joelisa McDonald, Borough of Rankin
- Mayor John Burwell, Homestead
- Mayor Keith Jackson, Rochester
- Mayor Kenya Johns, Beaver Falls
- Mayor Kimberly Doss, Farrell
- Mayor Rita Frealing, Gettysburg
- Mayor Rohan Hepkins, Yeadon
- Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland, Chester
- Mayor Val Pennington, Bellevue Borough
Next month, Pittsburgh will serve as the host city for the 2022 Pennsylvania Municipal League (PML) and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners Leadership Summit. As part of the summit, Mayor Gainey and the Southwestern PA Black Mayors Collaborative will host a private welcome reception to encourage networking among Mayors and members of the PML.
