The State of Equity: A Mayors Transportation Roundtable
Summary
The Great Cities Institute hosted The State of Equity: A Mayors Transportation Roundtable, a timely conversation on advancing equitable mobility and building stronger communities through transportation. Building on GCI’s previous Black Mayors & Leadership in the United States series, the event continued an important dialogue on how mayors can advance equity, strengthen communities, and address systemic challenges through local leadership. The roundtable brought these themes into focus through the lens of transportation and equitable mobility.
The roundtable brought together Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City, moderated by Dr. Teresa Cordova, Director of the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. The discussion explored how cities can address transportation inequities, strengthen connections between neighborhoods, and develop more accessible and inclusive mobility systems.
Following the mayors’ discussion, the event featured a Community Forum: Exploring Equiticity’s Neighborhood Mobility Models, which provided an opportunity to continue the conversation and consider community-centered approaches to equitable transportation.
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Time: 12:00–1:00 PM
Location: UIC Student Center East, Illinois Room, 750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607
Agenda:
- 11:15 AM — Doors Open
- 11:45 AM — Opening Remarks
- 12:00 PM — Mayors Transportation Roundtable Discussion
- 1:00 PM — Lunch
- 1:15 PM — Community Forum: Exploring Equiticity’s Neighborhood Mobility Models