February 16, 2021
Contact: Peter Davis
Mount Vernon Forward, a diverse coalition of concerned Democrats, is kicking off its campaign to continue making progress for a better future for Mount Vernon by endorsing a slate of dedicated candidates for City Council.
The Mount Vernon Forward endorsed candidates for Mount Vernon City Council are: Danielle Browne, Cathlin Gleason, and Edward Poteat - committed Democrats working together to make sure Mount Vernon continues to move forward.
Our goal is simple: we are united in our commitment to building on the progress Mount Vernon has made over the past year by continuing to support putting vibrant new leaders into City Hall. Our committee membership comes from many sectors: small business owners, Mount Vernon professionals, public officials, organized labor, community leaders, seniors, educators, nurses, youth advocates, and lifelong loyal Democrats.
This is a time in our city to support new leadership, to throw off the harsh division and negative tactics of the past, and to support a diversity of experience in government that truly represents all the people. We must move forward, not back, by building on what we’ve accomplished together, strengthening our Democratic coalition, and creating a better future for Mount Vernon.
Our endorsed team of Democrats has deep roots in Mount Vernon, a rich diversity of experience and background, and a shared commitment to the future of our city.
Danielle Browne is a licensed attorney in New York State and founder of The Browne Firm PLLC. She is the former head of business and legal affairs for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream and serves as the co-chair of the Mount Vernon Police Reform Commission. A former college basketball star who still owns career scoring records at Columbia University, Danielle was a standout at Mount Vernon High School. A resident of the South Side and the product of a proud Caribbean family, Danielle has a history of assisting small businesses in her hometown, and has worked as a volunteer with the Legal Aid Society and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Born and raised in Mount Vernon, Cathlin Gleason is a library trustee, and chair of the finance committee, charged with overseeing the library’s $4.7 million annual budget. Cathlin is a longstanding leader in Mount Vernon’s nonprofit community, a member of the city Planning Board and former 2nd Vice Chair of the Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee. In addition Cathlin has served on the boards of the Youth Community Outreach Program (YCOP) and the Fleetwood Neighborhood Association, and is President of the Board of Directors of Community Service Associates, Inc. which operates the largest Soup kitchen in Mount Vernon. Cathlin is endorsed by the Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee.
An expert with a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, Ed Poteat is the founder of the Mount Vernon Independent Business Alliance, which launched the Buy Local initiative throughout the city. He is the founder and President of Carthage Advisors, an award-winning affordable housing real estate firm that specializes in the redevelopment of urban communities. A member of the local chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi and the All Islands Association, Ed is a former Democratic district leader and an adjunct professor at Columbia University.
In carefully choosing our Mount Vernon slate, we are uniting behind strength and determination. This a Democratic partnership, and we embrace Democratic values. None of these candidates would ever seek the Republican line, nor accept that discredited affiliation in the age of Trump, as others sadly have.
The Mount Vernon Forward committee (which is in formation) includes prominent Democrats and long-time committed community leaders:
Peter Davis
Dwayne Brown
Elvira Castillo
Vanessa Cowan
Malcolm Clark
Priscilla Echi
Joseph Fordyce
Senora Hardy
Imani Lawrence
Dolores Mack
Aleisha McDowell
Br. Arthur Muhammad
Dwayne Murray
Erica Peterson
Margaret Reid
Louis Romain
Antoinette Rose
Safiya Swan
Kadesja Thompson
Cynthia Turnquest-Jones
Our coalition is growing every day, and we have put together a strong Campaign team to put our values into the field - and our candidates onto the ballot in the June 22nd primary.
This is a team with a strong history of service in our city and a depth of professional experience and expertise - the right combination to help lead city government as Mount Vernon attracts greater investment, provides better services for residents, and fights for its fair share of state and county funds. Interested volunteers are welcome to contact Mount Vernon Forward campaign headquarters - votemvforward@gmail.com