On this episode, our hosts, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Citizen Co-founder Larry Platt, invite onto the show a guest well-known to our mayors.

Jannet Walker-Ford is a nationally recognized transportation expert who worked on the recently released Special Event Transportation — Guidance and Opportunities Playbook (SetGo) to help transit agencies navigate "mega-events" like the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the many semiquincentennial celebrations across the country.

"How do you use these events for engines of future growth?" asked Platt.

"It's part of our playbook," she said. "We want to sustain those collaborations and relationships, as well as changes in infrastructure, processing and procedures. [And] really pulling in stakeholders — that's the important piece."

Another piece that's important: Everyday residents who still need to get to work or open their businesses despite large-scale disruptions. "You've got to be thinking about them and engaging the community so they survive the event," Walker-Ford said.

"You're in a unique position," Reed responded, "who do you see out here getting things right?"

Walker-Ford named former guest Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles, Seattle and Salt Lake City, Mayor Quinton Lucas in Kansas City — and even Philadelphia and SEPTA. "Getting stakeholders on the same page … can be tough," Nutter said.

"It's great in our speeches, though!" Reed laughed. "It makes us sound super innovative."

Join us for a timely conversation about how the United States needs to prepare for this blockbuster year when millions of visitors and celebrants will enter our cities and transportation systems.

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As cities go, so goes the nation!

Citizen Co-founder Larry Platt convened podcast co-hosts former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter for a special episode about recent crises plaguing the leaders of prominent cities.

"We are in a constitutional crisis," Platt said. "You have federal troops — masked law enforcement — doing these surges. The question is: Who's in charge?"

"Folks should remember," Reed said, "almost always, the mayor controls the biggest police department. There is an incentive to make sure the people policing your communities are … people you control, by virtue of you being elected CEO of the city."

Join us for a special edition of How To Really Run A City that examines the challenges of dealing with ICE ("To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis," — Minneapolis Mayor John Frey) as well as snow and ice ("[Mayor] Cherelle Parker better not fucking forget about us!" — viral Redditor from North Philly).

Mayors Reed and Nutter have weathered crises before, and they don't pull their punches on this episode.

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As cities go, so goes the nation!

On this episode, our hosts, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Citizen Co-founder Larry Platt, invite onto the show a new friend from the Citizen's recent Ideas We Should Steal Festival.

Matthew Tuerk is a wicked skater. He's a punk-rocking tattoo connoisseur. He's a marathoner, and the popular second-term mayor of Allentown, PA who has made it his mission to bring back his city's manufacturing success.

"This guy is a fanatic about economic development," said Platt. "He's turned Allentown into Pennsylvania's third-fastest growing city."

"We had this idea that you could still make stuff in cities," Tuerk replied. "Soot and smog-filled cities are not what the future of manufacturing looks like. Manufacturing needs people. It needs good, high-paying jobs. There are a lot of folks that came to Allentown looking to tap into the American Dream. Empowering people should be our motivation."

Then Platt prompted Tuerk to show off his unique Allentown flair. "I have the city seal tattooed on my chest," Tuerk declared, unfastening a few buttons on his shirt.

"That's commitment," Nutter said with a laugh.

Join us for an entertaining and informative episode about a city with its first Latino mayor "restoring a little bit of faith in the power of government to actually meet people's needs."

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As cities go, so goes the nation!