Mayor Yvonne Flowers Makes History

By RJ Smith

POUGHKEEPSIE – Yvonne Flowers took her oath of office this past Tuesday, becoming the first African-American woman to become mayor of Poughkeepsie.

The start of Flowers’ journey to become mayor began when she walked across the stage of Poughkeepsie High School in 1984. This is an integral moment she has fondly remembered as part of her journey.

“This high school is the start of my journey as an adult,” said Flowers in a presentation played at the ceremony. “When I walked across that stage, I thought about all the possibilities of what was going to happen in my life. I knew I had to come back to this high school, because this is where I really got my start.”

Flowers spoke about a class she took in high school that proved pivotal for her. It was taught by Loretta Roberts, whose class was one Flowers claimed started her accounting career. “This is the classroom where I actually started my whole accounting career. Miss Loretta Roberts was my mentor and my business teacher.”

Poughkeepsie High School has proven to be influential to Flowers even outside of the classroom. Her time spent in the hallways made an impact on her during that part of her life. “This hallway is where I spent a lot of time working with Miss Linda Mann. She gave me the opportunity to work for her. I owe so much to Miss Linda Mann, for being that person that encouraged me through my senior years and being there for me. She was like a second mom to me, and she is part of why I am who I am today.”

Flowers indicated one area of focus during her tenure as mayor will be working together as a way to improve the city. “What Poughkeepsie needs right now is to be more united. And right now, I think there’s too much division. People are working in their own silos. If we’re really going to make improvements to our city, we need to find a better way of working together. This is our city. Now it’s our time to start making a change together.”

Among Flowers’ planned priorities as mayor are bettering Poughkeepsie’s public safety, housing, and community relations. She aims to serve on the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet Leadership Council alongside Dr. Eric Jay Rosser. Rosser is the superintendent of the Poughkeepsie City School District.

Following the video presentation, Flowers and the 2024 common council members were formally introduced. They were Ernest Henry of the First Ward; Evan Menist of the Second Ward; Terriciena Brown of the Third Ward; Nathan Shook of the Fourth Ward; Ondie James of the Fifth Ward; Christopher Grant of the Sixth Ward; Nedra Patterson Thompson of the Seventh Ward, as well as Megan Deichler of the Eighth Ward. Councilmember-at-Large Da’Ron Wilson was in attendance as well.

New York’s Attorney General Letitia James surprised everyone with her attendance of the event, stepping up to the stage to provide words of encouragement and support for the new mayor. “It is truly an honor and privilege to join you. You see, I wanted to attend because I know a little bit about making firsts, and I wanted to be a part of history. And so today, Mayor Flowers is shattering a glass ceiling. She’s making a significant milestone, a distinction. Her election represents the power of people and community. She represents the dreams and hopes of ancestors that have come and gone.”

Other notable guests who attended include Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, as well as Congressman Pat Ryan.

“I’m looking forward to leading this city and working with amazing people,” said Flowers. “The video you watched earlier gave you a small glimpse of my journey. A journey that involved many trials and tribulations, but through it all there were many accomplishments that were achieved. I thank God first and foremost for placing people in my life to help me through those tough moments and finding ways to keep me encouraged.”

Flowers continued to speak about the important figures and factors in her journey, citing her father as an influencing figure in her life. “I thank my dad for teaching me the value of serving our community. Becoming mayor was his vision during the time I was discouraged and didn’t have any confidence in politics.” She later spoke about how she faced an unexpected loss that left her emotionally incapable of continuing in politics at the time.

Flowers went on to state that her dad encouraged her to jump back into politics. “I was thinking, ‘Dad, you are out of your mind.’ He kept reminding me that the best way to serve the community is to keep your love for balance, the love for your family and community close to your heart. Eight years after he passed, my dad’s vision became a reality.”

The ceremony concluded following words shared by Da’Ron Wilson, a familiar face within the Poughkeepsie City School District. “When I was inducted, my idea was to take the good and the bad. There are a lot of unprecedented things going on in the country and the world, as well as the city of Poughkeepsie. This is our city, and this is our time to make a difference.”