Cities United: Leading the Way to Build Safe, Healthy and Hopeful Communities for Black Men and Boys and Their Families
Cities United: Leading the Way to Build Safe, Healthy and Hopeful Communities for Black Men and Boys and Their Families
“We are grateful for the support of our trusted colleagues at Change Consulting, who played a vital role in the success of our Leading the Way Tour by amplifying our narrative around our support to help jurisdictions across the country build out their comprehensive public safety ecosystem. Their dedicated media strategies and outreach were instrumental in surpassing our goals, enabling successful community events in each stop on the nationwide tour, and securing the necessary momentum for long-term sustainability.” Anthony D. Smith, Executive Director of Cities United
Background
For 15 years, Cities United has supported a national network of mayors and other local leaders who are committed to building safe, healthy, and hopeful communities for young Black men and boys, and their families, while also creating new pathways for them to thrive. Through partnerships, policy support, and storytelling, Cities United helps cities build sustainable, community-led strategies for safety and well-being.
The Cities United nationwide tour, Leading the Way, is a national initiative to accelerate and invest in community-driven public safety strategies rooted in community, healing, and opportunity. Over the course of a year, beginning in April 2025 Cities United traveled to 19 jurisdictions across the country to conduct a series of mini-summits with city and county leaders alongside young leaders and community leaders to support jurisdictions in building and advancing a comprehensive public safety ecosystem.
The Leading the Way Tour is a celebration of local leadership, a deep dive into comprehensive public safety strategies, and a catalyst for building stronger, more equitable ecosystems of care, connectivity, and true public safety. Cities United invested over $900,000 across these jurisdictions. At each stop, the tour uplifted effective practices, strengthened local ecosystems, and fostered national learning across partner jurisdictions, creating opportunities for shared innovation and collaboration.
Participants engaged in workshops, discussions, and collaborative planning to center youth and community voices, and establish a collective vision for community safety.. Stops on the Leading the Way Tour included: Greater Atlanta, GA; Gary, IN; Hennepin County (Minneapolis), MN; Miami, FL; Jackson, MS; Newport News, VA; Greensboro, NC; Toledo, OH; Shelby County (Memphis), TN; Newark, NJ; Travis County (Austin), TX; King County (Seattle), WA; Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), PA; Milwaukee County, WI; Kankakee, IL; Mt. Vernon, NY; West Palm Beach, FL; and Lexington, KY.
Our Services
Change Consulting had the honor of serving as the media relations lead for the 19-city Leading the Way tour, executing a strategic outreach plan that included proactive media pitching, press release distribution, and coordination of local press interviews. The team engaged over 100 media outlets across target markets, ranging from local television affiliates to regional and national publications (including Chicago Tribune, Capital B, Toledo Blade, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) ensuring consistent messaging and narrative control throughout the tour’s duration. This included managing interview opportunities for Cities United leadership with key local partners.
Outcomes and Impact
The strategic efforts from our media relations team to amplify the 19-city Leading the Way Tour for Cities United generated more than 50 media placements, achieving significant visibility. This high-impact campaign garnered over 12.5 million views and reached a cumulative audience of 4.94 billion across various outlets. Furthermore, the outreach fostered deep community connection, resulting in 40.9K social media engagements encompassing likes, comments, and shares that effectively expanded the initiative’s reach and influence.