Mayor Sylvester "Sly" James, Jr. was born and raised in Kansas City and learned valuable lessons about resiliency and dedication watching his parents work hard to take care of their family. Despite the challenges they faced, Sly’s father, a chef, janitor, and small business owner; and his stepmother, who helped manage their business, still made sure that Sly and his brothers had the opportunity to go to a good school and follow their dreams. Mayor James has worked to raise Kansas City’s statewide and national profile by highlighting the myriad cultural and human capital resources in his great city. At the state level, he has been a voice for commonsense gun control laws, economic development tools, and education reform. Nationally, he is a member of Black Mayors for Education Reform, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and was elected in June 2013 to the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors. Mayor James also led the city’s efforts to host Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in the summer of 2012.