Nation's Cities - November 21, 2011

Harper, Kirp Inspire and Educate Local Leaders at
National Summit on Your City’s Families

by Tim Mudd
Hundreds of city leaders
and youth delegates explored
municipal strategies for help-
ing children, youth and families
succeed at the 2011 National
Summit on Your City’s
Families, one of four concur-
rent conferences held during
NLC’s Congress of Cities in
Phoenix. The summit marked
the 10th biennial conference on
Your City’s Families sponsored
by NLC, and stood out for
having the largest contingent of
youth participants to date.

Hands-On Learning
Overcoming Challenges

In a lively and thought-pro-
voking opening general session
on November 10, actor and
author Hill Harper — known
for his role in the television
series CSI: New York —
inspired summit attendees to
persist in their efforts on behalf
of youth. Emphasizing that the
struggles of one young person
affect the entire community,
Harper reminded city leaders of
words once spoken by Martin
Luther King, Jr. — that “we are
tied together in the single gar-
ment of mutual destiny.”
With this notion to guide
their participation in the week’s
activities, Harper challenged
municipal officials to use their
important and visible role in
their communities to promote
opportunities for children,
youth and families.

Drawing on his own experi-
ences with doubt in times of
uncertainty, Harper spoke of
the daily temptations to “micro-
quit” when challenges appear
insurmountable. “Overcoming
those times when we feel like
not giving it our all,” he stated,
“is what makes change pos-
sible.”
At workshops, roundtable
discussions, trainings and net-
working events held through-
out the conference, city leaders
gained key insights for how
they could rise to Harper’s chal-
lenge.

see page 9, column 1

Infrastructure Conference Promotes Planning that Adds Value
by Lara Malakoff
John Norquist, former mayor of
Milwaukee, and president and CEO of
the Congress for the New Urbanism
(CNU), kicked off the Infrastructure
Conference, one of four concurrent con-
ferences held during NLC’s Congress
of Cities in Phoenix. His advice for city
leaders: be selfish. More specifically, he
urged city leaders to “always ask the
question ‘What adds value for my com-
munity?’ and that will lead you in the
right direction,” when it comes to local
infrastructure planning.

There is a continued imperative to coordinate transportation, water infrastructure, housing and land use planning. For successful infrastructure initiatives, city leaders are encouraged to step back, look at the bigger picture, and ultimately make the smartest decisions for their communities. It falls on city leaders to advocate for their cities by challenging planning regulations — such as limits on mixed-use development, anti-urban development codes and universal emphasis on highway development — if they do not add value for their communities.

Throughout the Infrastructure Conference, workshops, discussion ses-

John Norquist, former mayor of Milwaukee, and president and CEO of the Congress for the New
Urbanism speaks during the opening general session of the Infrastructure Conference./ Photo by
Steve Schneider

sions, films and other activities focused on practical strategies for financing and partnering to support land use and transportation planning, water infrastructure and technology that adds value.