‘Class Is Dismissed’: Durham Mayor Discusses HKS Student Mentorship Program

Leonardo Q. Williams, the mayor of Durham, N.C., addressed a crowd of Harvard Kennedy School students Wednesday evening, speaking to the power of community in local government.

The event, run by the Taubman Center for State and Local Government, pitched the Kennedy School’s Transition Term — a two-week program that pairs HKS students and newly elected officials to help them acclimate to office and begin implementing policy as quickly as possible. Both Williams and two student panelists credited the program with helping students move beyond the classroom and better understand the day-to-day demands of working in local politics.

Justin Flynn, a student who was paired with Williams and sat on the panel, said he observed firsthand the acute impact of local elected officials on their constituents.

“You look across the street, you walk to go get coffee, and people see this guy walking with you. They have a question about a pothole, an event, a concert, they want to know what he is doing to improve their day-to-day life,” Flynn said. “Doing that work felt really good for me.”

This immersive environment was intentional on Williams’ part. While the Transition Term, organized by Taubman Center Director of Government Engagement Amy Mahler, is brief, Williams treated his students as members of his “permanent team.”

“I remember calling Amy and saying, ‘I just want you to know, I just changed your whole program,’” Williams said. “‘I’m going to put [students] in the fire with me.’”

More specifically, Williams eschewed the idea of a “100-day plan” in favor of an approach that emphasized understanding the specific needs of his community.

“100 days? No, it’s really about ‘What is your new reality?” he said. “I sort of forced these guys to get out of the whole ‘100-day plan’ and focus on an actual strategic plan, or master plan, of how I can build capacity to hear all voices and respond to everyone in a very systematic way.”

Tuan Ho ’09, another HKS student who participated in the program, recalled a particularly memorable meeting with Williams. The mayor and his team attended a gathering of religious leaders to discuss the community impact of the war in Gaza and finalize Williams’ forthcoming statement on the issue. Williams spent so long at the event that the team missed the chance to meet influential U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

“They’re tearing up, they’re crying, and by the end of this meeting, you’re hugging. I think you led a prayer with them,” Ho said. “After everybody left, you pulled us aside, a weight lifted off your shoulder, and you said, ‘Well, guys, this is leadership. Are you ready? Is this what you want?’”

Williams said his approach to public service is analogous to his time as an educator and administrator in Durham’s public school system.

“If you can run a classroom efficiently, you can run a city,” Williams said. “You can literally find every type of personality, every type of person, every type of problem, and all of the impeding factors that make people show up in different ways. And my common denominator was helping them find their direction.”

That approach has helped Williams generate results for Durham. During his first 10 months as mayor, Williams brought $1.3 billion of investments to Durham, launched the Bull City Future Fund to raise money for nonprofits aiming to support youth, and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August.

“I walked on that stage, man, I was like, ‘This is surreal.’ 21,000 people in this room, nearly 100 million watching online. When I walked to that podium, it was just so much grace. People were excited,” Williams said. “I opened my mouth: ‘Hailing from the Tar Heel state!’”