Mayor Brown Presents Drum Major Institute Award To David Simon

Mayor Traveled to New York City for Drum Major Institute for Public Policy’s Annual Fundraiser; Presented Drum Major for Justice Award to Creator of HBO Series, “The Wire”

Mayor Byron W. Brown traveled to New York City earlier this week on Tuesday, May 20th to participate in the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy’s annual fundraiser, where he presented the non-partisan, non-profit public policy think tank’s Drum Major for Justice Award to David Simon, creator/writer/producer of the acclaimed HBO series, “The Wire.”

In presenting the award to Mr. Simon, Mayor Brown stated, “His compelling, thought provoking and unvarnished depiction of life in the City of Baltimore has clearly hit a chord with the American viewing public, which reminds us that you don’t necessarily have to be completely familiar with a subject to ultimately identify with the content of material as it’s presented or, even more importantly, actually feel empathy for the characters depicted in a program such as Homicide: Life on the Street, The Corner or, now, The Wire. David Simon also reminds us just how vital, diverse, dynamic and exhilarating cities are in America.”

The theme for this year’s annual fundraiser and awards ceremony was, “Putting Cities on the National Agenda.”

"We asked Mayor Brown to participate in our annual benefit because he is a true champion for cities,” said Andrea Batista Schlesinger, Executive Director of DMI.  “He is the only Mayor we interviewed through our MayorTV.com project who has been brave enough to call not only for a change in a nominating process that favors raising money in cities and spending it in Iowa; but also for the wholesale restructuring of the Electoral College to recognize the importance of urban areas. We look forward to many future collaborations with the Mayor."

Originally called the Drum Major Foundation, the Drum Major Institute was founded by Harry Wachtel, lawyer and advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the turbulent years of the civil rights movement.  The Drum Major Institute was re-launched in 1999 by New York attorney William Wachtel (Harry’s son, who now serves as the organization’s Chairman), Martin Luther King III and Ambassador Andrew Young.

The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit think tank generating the ideas that fuel the progressive movement. From releasing nationally recognized studies of our nation’s increasingly fragile middle class to showcasing progressive policies that have worked to advance social and economic justice, DMI has been on the leading edge of the public policy debate.

The organization regularly invites those who have advanced progressive policies in cities to participate in its Marketplace of Ideas series, which highlights ideas that are progressive, practical and effective.

In March 2006, Mayor Brown was invited to share his views on the state of urban America and how cities across the country can place their shared challenges on a broader national landscape. The Mayor was asked to speak to the topic of: The Challenges of Urban America and How We Put a Re-Envisioned Urban Agenda on the National Landscape. 

“The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is an important and valuable advocate for the discussion of public policy issues, especially those policies that affect the lives of millions of Americans living in cities across our country,” said Mayor Brown. “I appreciate the Institute’s commitment to an open and unfettered dialogue on the issues that matter most to Urban America – access to affordable, decent housing; quality public education; job creation; maintaining quality of life standards; and ensuring public safety. I look forward to collaborating with the Institute on these and other progressive public policy issues that help make cities such as Buffalo more livable, diverse, viable and sustainable.”

This past December, Mayor Brown participated in a Drum Major Institute-led initiative that was designed to focus more attention on American cities during the ongoing national presidential campaign.

The effort was featured in an initiative launched by the Drum Major Institute and The Nation magazine called MayorTV – a non-partisan, online video project that was designed to tap into the wisdom and opinions of a diverse group of influential mayors. Mayors from across the country were asked to discuss, in their own words, what they think the presidential candidates should focus on when it comes to federal urban policy. The goal of the effort was to spark a national conversation among mayors, candidates, policy leaders, journalists and the public that brings American cities back into the limelight where they belong.

Joining Mayor Brown in this initiative were Sheila Dixon, Mayor of Baltimore, MD; Shirley Franklin, Mayor of Atlanta, GA; Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston, MA; John Hickenlooper, Mayor of Denver, CO; Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor Los Angeles, CA; and Manny Diaz, Mayor of Miami, FL.

The MayorTV effort garnered widespread national media attention, including features in the New York Times, Metropolis Magazine, and Politico.