Join The Harkin Institute as it welcomes Columbia, S.C., Mayor Stephen Benjamin to Drake on Monday, Oct. 30. Mayor Benjamin will discuss some of the top issues facing American cities and their elected leaders at 7 p.m. in Sussman Theater, Olmsted Center.

The city of Columbia has confronted many social issues faced by local governments across the country, including ongoing conversations about race, equality and the role of monuments in our society; sanctuary cities and creating welcoming environments; and how cities have become more proactive in the face of state and federal government inaction.

Benjamin was first elected mayor of Columbia in 2010 and currently is seeking his third term in office. He serves as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and will assume leadership of the organization in 2018. Benjamin has been praised as a thoughtful, innovative leader on issues facing Columbia and American cities in general.

As the capital city of South Carolina, Columbia has been at the center of ongoing discussions about how and where to display confederate symbols, and in 2015, removed the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina Capitol grounds.

Earlier this year, Benjamin joined mayors across the country seeking clarification on how local authorities should enforce immigration policies and potential consequences for communities that identify themselves as “sanctuary cities.”

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

—Emily Schettler, The Harkin Institute