A small, but engaged and enthusiastic group attended the PA Black Mayor’s Coalition “State of ‘Our’ Communities event in downtown Washington Saturday afternoon. The interactive town hall meeting became a discussion as about 20 residents talked about a variety of subjects, from the role of a town or city’s mayor, school funding, drugs use, and youth mentorship. Activist Carmina Taylor of Philadelphia hosted the event, and several mayors from throughout Pennsylvania were either in attendance or participated via Zoom. City of Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess was among those in person, as were leaders from Aliquippa and Lewisburg in Union County. One of the highlights of the event was when two Washington high school students talked about how they used their civics class activities to approach the school board and make changes to the dress code. In addition to the mayors from there were Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress and the Pennsylvania State House. Taylor said the meeting was needed to “get a pulse” of the area and he hopes to build on this meeting and have more in the future. [Photo Thomas Leturgey, WJPA News]