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05-14-08 #18
Mount Vernon's legendary Sioux Taylor leaving for South Carolina after 40 years

Story by Joe Parisi
     Sioux Taylor, a legendary longtime activist and resident of Mount Vernon for the last 40 years, and former Recreation Commissioner, has decided it is time to move on and is moving to South Carolina to be near her daughter and family.
     Born and raised in Harlem, NY as the daughter of a strict Episcopal minister, Taylor attended NYC Schools and eventually graduated from Fordham University in 1952, and attended postgraduate school at New York University. After college, Taylor became a Licensed Master Social Worker and married her late husband of 33 years, Dr. Abram Taylor in 1958.
     In 1965 Taylor moved to Mount Vernon, and that same year she gave birth to her daughter, Kawardra, who is now an attorney and currently lives in South Carolina with her husband Steven, also an attorney.  They have a daughter by the name of Bailey.
     When Taylor and her husband moved to Mount Vernon, they bought a lovely home located  at 185 Hillcrest Road, where she still resides today.
     Taylor very quickly started playing a very important and active role in Mount Vernon, becoming the Executive Director of the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau, until her appointment as Mount Vernon's Department of Recreation Commissioner. In these positions, she implemented positive youth development after school and summer programs, expanded activities for seniors and city-wide events (i.e., outdoor concerts and the All-City Summer Games.
     Following her retirement as Commissioner in 1997, Taylor remained a community activist. She served as the Chair of the Westchester Division of the New York State Chapter, National Association of Social Workers from 2000-04.
     Until recently, Taylor served as:

• Co-chair Political Action Committee, NASW NY State Chapter

• Member, NY State Council, National Organization for Women (NOW)

• Member, Planning Committee, Westchester NOW

• Member of "Think Thank" - Westchester Division of NASW (NYS)

• President, Lay Organization, Allen temple AME Church in Mt. Vernon

• District Leader, Mount Vernon Democratic Party

• Member, Mayor's Senior Citizen's Advisory Board

• Board Member, Mount Vernon council of Community Services

• Vice-President, Mount Vernon Church women United

     Some of her awards include:

• NY State Social Worker of the Year (1988)

• Special Honors Award, Westchester Senior Citizens Hall of Fame (1997)

• Westchester Community College Community Service Award (2005)

     Taylor also served as the Convener and First President of NOW, Southern Westchester. In addition, she was also one of the founding members of the National women's Political Caucus and the Westchester Black Women Political Caucus.
     "In retrospect, I have lived a wonderful and busy 40 years in the wonderful City of Mount Vernon and I have absolutely no regrets. Although I did run for City Council one year and lost, it was a very positive experience for me. The experience introduced me to politics, and if I had won the election, I wouldn't be where I am today," she told The Inquirer.
     "In the last 40 years, I have seen Mount Vernon change for the very best. When I first arrived it was all Republican and the city was predominantly white. Everything has changed, where today Mount Vernon is mostly all black and very diversified. I see many changes, like the Sandford Boulevard corridor and Third Street strict is being turned around as well."
     "One area that needs improvement is the school system. Citizens routinely take their kids out of the public school as soon as it's time for them to attend middle school. This trend needs to be reversed," see said.
     When Taylor was asked to compare today's Mount Vernon crime with what it was like 40 years ago, she said, "I don't see a big difference. We had gangs back in 1965 as well. I think Mount Vernon crime has been unjustly sensationalized by today's media."
     "My plans are to move to South Carolina and live in this beautiful condominium I purchased near a lake, and start a new chapter in my life. Once my husband died, I realized that I am one of the few people in Mount Vernon without a single relative in town. All I have are great friends, but no relatives," Taylor said.
     "I will undoubtedly miss Mount Vernon immensely once I move, but I promise to stay tuned to everything that goes on in Mount Vernon by visiting The Inquirer's website daily," she told The Inquirer.