The U.S. territories share significant challenges on local governance and lack of transparency on public administration. The roles of local officials in these challenges are tied to a colonial framework that dictates the relationship with US spending in these territories and the way their governments operate.  In this conversation, we discuss these issues with civil society leaders from Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, USVI and Puerto Rico. We want to showcase the challenges faced by the territories, and how civil society is continually stepping up and searching for solutions to these issues.