Black Mayors & Leadership in the United States
Event Summary
Black Mayors & Leadership in the United States was a three-part virtual public series examining how Black municipal leaders navigated governance, equity, and coalition-building during the intertwined crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and a severe economic contraction. Convened in March 2021, the series brought together mayors, scholars, journalists, and civic leaders to explore lessons learned and enduring challenges in advancing justice, unity, and opportunity in U.S. cities.
The series featured three mayoral conversations, each centered on a core equity issue. On March 4, 2021, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot addressed criminal justice reform, reflecting on public safety, structural inequality, and the role of local government in ensuring that “ZIP code doesn’t determine destiny.” The discussion was introduced by Teresa Córdova, Director of the Great Cities Institute, and moderated by Cheryl Corley of NPR, with scholarly perspectives from Nikki Jones and Cid Martinez.
On March 10, 2021, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka focused on the wealth gap, examining racial capitalism, economic recovery, and fair treatment as foundations for improved race relations. Introduced by Stephen Small (UC Berkeley), the session was moderated by Tracy Jan of The Washington Post, with panelists Elsie Harper-Anderson, Paul Ong, and Darren Walker offering national and policy-oriented insights.
The series concluded on March 16, 2021 with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who explored diversity and inclusion, framing Black mayoral leadership as a politics of possibility rather than power. Introduced by Ula Y. Taylor, the discussion was moderated by Natasha Korecki of Politico and featured panelists Gail Christopher, Pedro Noguera, and Kathleen Yang-Clayton.
Sponsored by UC Berkeley’s Institute for the Study of Societal Issues and Department of African American Studies, in partnership with the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago and numerous civic organizations, the series underscored the critical role of Black mayoral leadership in advancing equity, democratic governance, and resilient cities during moments of profound national crisis.