The tumult of the first years of this decade – a global pandemic, an unprecedented presidential election, movements for social and racial justice, impacts of climate change, pressures on urban infrastructure – has played out in our nation’s cities and thrust the challenges and opportunities for mayors and their leadership into the spotlight. This special virtual event brings together mayors from cities across the states of the Big Ten in a discussion about how leadership at the city level shapes our national approaches to some of the most pressing issues of the day.

Welcoming Remarks:
Jonathan Massey, Dean, Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Michigan
Christopher Taylor, Mayor of Ann Arbor, MI

Confirmed Participants:
Mike Duggan, Mayor of Detroit, MI
Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago, IL
Aftab Pureval, Mayor of Cincinnati, OH
Bruce Teague, Mayor of Iowa City, IA

Moderated by Paul Helmke, Director, Civic Leaders Center, Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University and former Mayor of Fort Wayne, IN

This virtual event will have a live watch party for the University of Michigan community in the Art & Architecture Building (2000 Bonisteel Blvd., Ann Arbor), Classroom 1360. Portions of the event will be filmed and live streamed from the watch party. All are welcome to attend.

Sponsored by
Big Ten Collaboration: Democracy in the 21st Century
Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, University of Michigan
Democracy & Debate 2022-’23, University of Michigan
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Michigan

Watch Party Schedule
Monday, September 12, 2022
3:40PM Doors to Classroom 1360 open for seating
3:55PM Doors to Classroom 1360 close for seating
4:00PM Mayors Forum begins
5:00PM Mayors Forum concludes

Important Information
The doors to Classroom 1360 will be open from 3:40PM - 3:55PM. Guests that arrive after 3:55PM will not be admitted into the classroom for the watch party until after the welcoming remarks have been made. Dean Jonathan Massey and Mayor Christopher Taylor will be giving the welcoming remarks for the event live from the classroom. Attendees sitting behind these presenters will be visible on-camera to the virtual panelists and public audience.