MAYORS’ STARTER GUIDE Compassionate & Equitable Cities
ABOUT C-USA 325 mayors sign Mayors’ Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism, and Bigotry. U.S. Conference of Mayors launch the Mayors and Business Leaders Center for Inclusive and Compassionate Cities. 2017-2018
Mayors’ Compacts: Combat Hate, Extremism & Bigotry
Racial Equity
Influx of migrants arrive at our southern border, the COVID-19 pandemic rages, and the public protests for greater police accountability. Social isolation and collective mental health begin to worsen. 2019-2021
U.S. Conference of Mayors introduces the Mayors’ Compact on Racial Equity. Compassionate USA is created by the Mayors and Business Leaders Center for Inclusive and Compassionate Cities in partnership with the Alamo College District’s Peace Center in San Antonio, Texas and the International Charter for Compassion. 2022-2023
Int’l Charter for Compassion
2024
C o m pass
In less than 6 months, over 100 cities and organizations signed on to be C-USA partners. 650+ communities were affirmed as Compassionate Cities through the International Charter for Compassion. Mayor’s Guide for Compassionate and Equitable Cities was launched at USCM June Meeting in Kansas City, MO.
io n ate U S A.org
COMPASSION CURRICULUM Click here for C-USA Trailer
Be... Self Aware
Good to Yourself
Grateful
Compassionate
The Change
Connected
Click the titles above to access the lessons!
BUILDING CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE
[Civic Infrastructure] is the places, policies, programs, and practices that enable us to connect with each other, define and address shared concerns, build community, and solve public problems. 1
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COMMUNITY MODELS CompassionateSA Neighborhood Toolkit
University of Kansas
Building Compassionate Communities
These can be utilized as launching points to develop your civic infrastructure plan, based on best practices
The purpose in creating Civic Infrastructure is to help facilitate the recognition that compassion skills are paramount to all aspects of civic leadership. These skills impact near and long term processes, policies, and programs, providing the systemic strength and intent to form a framework of community-based compassion and care. As Mayors, we must be visible within this infrastructure, bridging divides between any and all communities to exponentially increase its effect and adoption.
1 Stephen Patrick & Sheri Brady. “Building an Intentional and Inclusive
Civic Infrastructure.” Stanford Social Innovation Review (08/07/2015). https://ssir.org/articles/entry/building_an_intentional_and_inclusive_civic_infrastructure
BUILDING CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE
RECOMMENDATIONS Designate at least one person within your civic infrastructure or within your greater community to serve as as the chief strategic bridge-builder, connector, and collaborator. If you can tap more individuals, all the better. These changemakers should come experienced in community organizing and networking. Convene a community conversation within your region around the vision of becoming a more compassionate and equitable city. Create an accessible directory of every government agency, faith-based and service organizations, nonprofit institutions, and education districts. A working model can be found at SACRD.org. Study and exercise compassion yourself, and encourage your staff, Council colleagues, city staff, and community leaders to do the same. CompassionateUSA offers a deeper understanding of compassion and is available at no-cost at CompassionateUSA.org, powered by Coursera.
YOUTH CURRICULUM Building compassion skills in your community should begin with building a more compassionate future. This kind of work should not be limited to adults, who will likely undergo several “unlearning” mechanisms as they work toward better implementing empathy and equity in their decision making. There are plenty of compassion resources available for children and young adults, but we recommend:
COMPASSIONATE POLICY
A POLICY’S PURPOSE The purpose of policy in developing a compassionate and equitable city is to recognize that policies lead to systems that have potential to impact multiple generations of a city’s population. We must provide awareness and encouragement to strive toward systems that take care of our neighbors, facilitate a cohesive community, and broaden our understanding of love and empathy.
EXAMPLES
Workforce Training San Antonio
Racial Equity Louisville
Affordable Housing Kansas City
Family Support Baltimore
BUILDING MOMENTUM As mayors, we must face the fact that we are temporary. Local compassion efforts tend to start with enthusiasm, but can fizzle without proper strategies. Normalizing this work takes time, vision, and intent. The systems compassion seeks to change - poverty, racism, violence, sexism, and silence, for example, - require planning efforts that take into account the tasks that need to be completed on a weekly basis and those that may take generations. We must do all we can to perpetuate our efforts.
But first, start somewhere. Anywhere. Call a fellow mayor who is already engaged in this work Gather community, faith, and business leaders to begin the conversation
Analyze standing policies & budgets to determine their true outcomes Create curriculum for your local school districts
Exemplify compassionate leadership through your words and actions
REMINDER
There is power in our collective ability to transform our communities. Nobody walks alone, especially in the work to organize communities around the simple golden rule: We must treat others as we wish to be treated. This starter guide is only the beginning. Lean on your fellow mayors, community leaders, and your heart to make positive change that fits your city’s identity, culture, and heritage. We’re here to help.
! s u l i a Em
compassionateusa.org