Episode Summary

As the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11th, The Unity Forum welcomes Carolyn Lukensmeyer, one of America’s leading voices on deliberative democracy, citizen engagement, and civil discourse.

Carolyn joins host Chris Malone to reflect on the extraordinary public engagement process that brought thousands of New Yorkers together following 9/11 to help shape the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site and Lower Manhattan. She explains how AmericaSpeaks created an environment where people experiencing grief, anger, and profound disagreement could listen to one another, identify shared values, and contribute meaningfully to consequential public decisions.

The conversation then turns to what those lessons mean for America today. Carolyn challenges the prevailing narrative that Americans are h ...