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In this candid memoir, Nirenberg reflects on the formative moments that shaped his path to public service. Born to a multicultural family and raised in Texas, he overcame early obstacles and was driven by a sense of purpose from a young age. After completing his education, he worked on public policy initiatives across the country, collaborating with future leaders like Barack Obama and Cory Booker to inspire civic engagement among youth.
As mayor, Nirenberg guided San Antonio through the global Covid-19 pandemic, establishing a model of leadership that others throughout the country emulated. He also led the city out of a devastating winter storm that shut down the entire state and compassionately dealt with the aftermath of public outrage in response to the murder of George Floyd. His vision for growth in San Antonio, a city poised to become a cultural and economic hub in Texas, turned thought into action as he led the way in creating nationally recognized initiatives in workforce development, affordable housing, education, and equity-driven city planning.
At a time of rising polarization and political uncertainty, Nirenberg is both a hopeful call to civic action and a behind-the-scenes account of how to lead with integrity and impact in today’s challenging political landscape.
—Lt. Gen (retired) John R. Evans, Jr.
“I had the chance to watch Mayor Ron lead with such intelligence and compassion, courage, and love, so it is no surprise to see all of that and more reflected in his book. That’s why we often held him up as an example. How those in leadership positions use their power matters, and Mayor Ron used his to expand opportunity, prioritize communities who had been left behind, and make life better for working people and their families. Thank you for showing us how it’s done.”
— Julie Su, former U.S. secretary of labor
"An engagingly candid account of the challenges, both personal and professional, of translating ideals into action in turbulent times in the nation’s seventh largest city."
—Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director, Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania
"This is an important book. It will find an audience that extends far beyond readers who are only interested in municipal affairs. Mayor Nirenberg uses his experiences as a successful mayor of San Antonio as a launching platform for discussions, and sometimes solutions, to problems that plague virtually all American cities. He has something to say that deserves to be heard. Read on." —Phil Hardberger former mayor of San Antonio
"Ron Nirenberg takes us on a journey of a life well lived. He navigates us through the growing pains of both his personal and public life. These experiences shaped him into becoming one of America’s greatest and most effective mayors. The best part of it, he's not finished yet, and we will all be better for it. This book is a blueprint for what it takes to get things done when we do it together. It is a must read."—Mitch Landrieu, former lieutenant governor of Louisiana
“The most effective mayors are pragmatists who focus on solving problems and building bridges. That’s Ron Nirenberg – and this book shows that both are possible."
—Michael R. Bloomberg, founder, Bloomberg L.P. & Bloomberg Philanthropies
"It’s tempting, in today’s hostile political climate, to think of political leaders as hyper-ideological, self-serving, or even mean-spirited. But Ron Nirenberg’s story is a reminder that political leaders of today can still exemplify the best qualities of our beloved public servants of the past: empathy, pragmatism, and intellectual curiosity. Ron’s is also the story of the new American dream: how a regular movie-loving, sports-addicted, video game-playing kid from the suburbs became mayor of one of America’s largest and most diverse cities – reminding us that ideological rigidity does not solve problems or help communities navigate crises, but compassion and compromise do. Nirenberg is a humanizing narrative that will inspire future leaders and remind us all how government can improve the lives of the people – through thoughtful public policy tied directly to the needs of the communities it serves."—Dannagal Goldthwaite Young Ph.D., author of Wrong: How Media, Politics, and Identity Drive our Appetite for Misinformation
Sophia
Welcome to Texas
The World Is a Bigger Place
The Mayor of Jazz
Meet Your Neighbors
The City You Deserve
Big City, Long View
Back from the Brink
Pandemic
Getting it Done
Reflections
Acknowledgments
Image Credits