Mayor Walsh Signs Mayors’ Compact on Racial Equity

Walsh joins more than 60 community leaders in U.S. Conference of Mayors pledge to dismantle institutional racism and systemic inequality

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh joined more than 60 mayors from San Diego, Calif. to St. Petersburg, Fla., in signing the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCOM) “Mayors’ Compact on Racial Equity.” In committing to the Compact, the mayors agreed to work individually and collectively to “dismantle institutional racism and systemic inequality in measurable and sustainable ways.”

“One of my first actions upon becoming Mayor was to establish a new vision for Syracuse: to be a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all. Signing this compact is an acknowledgement that, while we’ve made progress, there is still so much work to be done,” Mayor Walsh said. “Being mayor has strengthened my determination to ensure that all Syracuse residents, especially those who have been discriminated against and marginalized, are supported by their city government. We are and will continue to expand investments in job training, transportation, education and housing, so that we can realize our vision of inclusive opportunity.”

According to the Compact, “Mayors acknowledge the historic complicity of cities with other levels of government and other institutions in segregationist policies that funneled Americans into separate communities and different neighborhoods based largely on race and then structurally directed far fewer resources and opportunities to them. We acknowledge that remedies that have been applied through the decades have fallen far short of narrowing the resulting society-level racial disparities across areas including income and wealth accumulation, education, health, housing, public safety, and many more.” 

USCOM created the Mayors’ Compact on Racial Equity in partnership African American Mayors Association. In Upstate New York, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy have also signed the pledge.