In April, The Nation began a series of reports titled “Cities Rising,” claiming that big cities are the new hotbeds of progressive reform. Bill de Blasio, the rising mayor of New York, they also suggested, was at the forefront of this revolution. De Blasio himself, as chair of the Cities of Opportunity Task Force, declared that he and his fellow urban mayors would “organize and focus the progressive ideas coming out of cities” in the U.S. But just how progressive are these ideas? How equitable are the opportunities? Is de Blasio truly a “progressive mayor,” or does he just offer a gentler version of the same old policies?
Panel includes:
- Marlene Peralta, Senior Political Reporter for El Diario/La Prensa, on immigration policy and the immigrant experience.
- Saki Knafo, Reporter, Huffington Post, on policing and the city’s latest “quality of life” campaigns.
- Caron Atlas, Director of Arts & Democracy Project and Co-Director, Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts NY, on the state of the arts.
- Jarrett Murphy, Executive Editor and Publisher of City Limits, on the administration’s approach to the environment and land use in the city.
- Moderated by Mary Rowe, Director, Urban Resilience and Livability at the Municipal Art Society.
New York City, NY; NYC