DeSoto City Councilmember Crystal Chism has been reappointed to the National League of Cities (NLC) 2024 Race, Equity, and Leadership (REAL) Council. Councilmember Chism was elected to a one-year term to develop and guide programs among local elected officials from similar communities. Her appointment was announced by NLC President Mayor David Sander of Rancho Cordova, CA.
“Our member councils play an integral role in NLC’s work, bringing local leaders together to share ideas and inform NLC policy about the issues and challenges facing every kind of community in America,” said NLC President Mayor David Sander. “I’m excited to have Councilmember Crystal Chism serve on NLC’s REAL Council. The council will ensure that all our cities, towns, and villages have access to ideas and resources they can use to thrive.”
Councilmember Chism welcomed her reappointment and said she will continue to share DeSoto’s policy successes with the NLC’s REAL Council while making recommendations to DeSoto about programs that have met with success in other member cities. Said Councilmember Chism, “As a returning representative of the City of DeSoto on the National League of Cities’ Race, Equity, and Leadership Council, I am honored to advocate for the progressive policies that make our community stronger. It is our commitment to continually seek ways to enhance the well-being of our residents. By participating in this national platform, we are not only telling DeSoto’s story but actively contributing to the national conversation on equity and progressive governance. Together, we strive to inspire positive change, ensuring that the values we uphold in our city resonate on a broader scale, fostering a more inclusive and just society for all.”
As a member of NLC’s REAL Council, Councilmember Chism will play a key role among a diverse group of local leaders to encourage collaboration, networking, and the development of resources and programs beneficial to communities that share demographics, size, or location that can be replicated across the country.
The leadership of this year’s council will consist of Chair Christopher Jones, Council Member, Harrisonburg, Virginia; Chair Ty Stober, Mayor Pro Tem, Vancouver, Washington; Vice Chair Karlene Maxwell Williams, Commissioner, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida; and Vice Chair DeDreana Freeman, Council Member, Durham, North Carolina.
For more information on NLC’s member councils, visit: https://www.nlc.org/current-initiatives/member-councils-2/. You can also view Councilmember Crystal Chism’s biography on the City of DeSoto’s new website.
