NLC President Urges Mayors To Combat Racism

Wichita Mayor Bob Knight, newly-elected President of The National League of Cities, told a Friday closing plenary session that an extraordinary opportunity exists for the U. S. political leaders to address the sensitive issue of racism.

Mayor Knight, in his first appearance as NLC President in Washington  has called for a renewed national effort to undo the suffering and consequences of racism.

Knight says the current economic prosperity offers an unprecedented opportunity to tackle and diagnose the disease of racism, and to confront serious issues.

Knight recently released the findings of the 16th Annual NLC “State of America’s Cities” report and said that report found a readiness among local government officials to provide leadership both in their communities and as part of a nationwide effort to mitigate racism.

The report was based on a survey of 389 municipal leaders and, the Mayor noted, 9 out of 10 surveyed saw opportunities for model behaviors and practices that contribute to undoing racism in their role as elected officials.

Knight urged mayors to join his national effort in taking a leadership role in attacking the root causes of racism, and in arriving at a renewal of the American spirit.