Washington, D.C. — A new episode of the CitiesSpeak podcast from the National League of Cities (NLC) features Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities, in a keynote-style address recorded at the 2026 Congressional City Conference. The episode explores how local governments are delivering for their communities every day and why local leadership is essential to meeting residents’ needs and strengthening democracy.
During the episode, Anthony reflects on his journey into public service and the responsibility local leaders carry to represent their communities with purpose and urgency, offering perspective on how local leaders can rise to meet this moment. The conversation highlights leadership, resilience and the importance of community trust.
Highlights from the Conversation
On the importance of local leadership:
“There’s no level of government that needs great leaders more than local government, because you are the most trusted level of government in our country.” — Clarence E. Anthony
On public service and responsibility:
“The minute you raised your hand to say that you were going to run for office and then you got elected is the minute you stopped being selfish about yourself and became more focused on what is important to your community.” — Clarence E. Anthony
On rising to meet the moment:
“You don’t have a choice… we need to stand up. We need to be stronger about what we do and why we do it.” — Clarence E. Anthony
The CitiesSpeak podcast features conversations with leaders and policy experts on the biggest issues facing America’s cities, towns and villages.
Listen to the full conversation, also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
About CitiesSpeak
Each episode of NLC’s podcast, CitiesSpeak with Clarence Anthony, dives into a critical issue facing local leaders today, featuring conversations with elected leaders and policy experts from across the country. The podcast is a relaxed and entertaining resource for local policymakers looking for ideas and information to bring back to their communities. The podcast is hosted by NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony, who previously served as mayor of South Bay, Florida, for more than two decades.
New, episodes of CitiesSpeak are available on all major podcasting platforms and on YouTube. If you have feedback for the show or ideas for future guests, email us at citiesspeakpodcast@nlc.org. Happy listening!
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