The 2023 Fellowship will help mayors develop and strengthen approaches to embedding justice and equity goals within government policy and practices, as well as help mayors design strategies for achieving more just and equitable outcomes within their communities. This year’s cohort of mayors will be introduced to the concepts of social impact and justice-centered design, equity framework measurement tools, and innovative design practices that increase just and equitable outcomes. Building from past Fellowships, this year’s program will continue to explore ways to create lasting, transformational impacts from new federal funding streams such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.
The 2023 MICD Just City Mayoral Fellows are: Kathy Sheehan, mayor of Albany, New York; Tim Keller, mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Jim Ross, mayor of Arlington, Texas; Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri; Friday Ellis, mayor of Monroe, Louisiana; D.C. Reeves, mayor of Pensacola, Florida; Alan Webber, mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Tishaura O. Jones, mayor of St. Louis, Missouri.
“I’m delighted to see this powerful collaboration between the Just City Lab and the Mayors’ Institute on City Design continue for a third year,” said Sarah Whiting, dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of the Harvard Graduate School of Design. “This year’s cohort of mayors comes from the most diverse group of cities yet — from the Southwest to the Northeast, with a wide range of population sizes. We welcome them to the Graduate School of Design, where they will have an opportunity to engage with our faculty and students, learning from our justice-centered curriculum and research, and leaving with new expertise to further equity and opportunity in each of their cities.”
“The Just City Mayoral Fellowship is a powerful example of how arts and design help us to examine our reality, imagine a better future, and ensure our cities reflect the ideals we aspire to as a nation,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “This program recognizes the critical role that mayors play in driving local change and I look forward to seeing how they use this experience to bolster justice and equity in their communities.”
“Mayors are leading our cities through a transformative time, using new federal funding streams to create once-in-a-generation change,” says Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of the United States Conference of Mayors. “They are tasked with uniting their communities around real solutions and making the most of these transformational investments. The traditional MICD experience, with its candid, small-group format and access to national design experts, is so often transformative for mayors. There is no better model for empowering mayors to find solutions in our nation’s cities, and the United States Conference of Mayors is proud to partner with the Just City Lab to help guide mayors through this important chapter of American history.”
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