(Washington, DC) October 10, 2023 – The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) expresses its deepest condolences for the families of the 900 innocent lives lost at the hands of Hamas terrorists and prays for the full recovery of those injured.

“We stand with Israel during these tragic times and want to be clear that these hateful, terrorist actions have no legitimacy and must be condemned. We cannot sit back and watch innocent civilians be victimized by senseless and heinous acts of violence,” said AAMA President and Mount Vernon, NY Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard. 

The Black and Jewish communities must stand together in resistance to this cruel and hateful behavior. We have a long history of fighting bigotry, racism, and extremism, and we will continue to stand with Israel to support them against these acts of terrorism.

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The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) is the only organization dedicated to 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.