The episode begins with Congedo's early career in broadcast journalism, starting in Washington DC at age 21 before moving to Lexington, Kentucky to develop her reporting skills. She discusses the challenges of building confidence as a young reporter in demanding environments and the valuable experiences that shaped her professional development. Congedo then reflects on her Jewish identity journey, explaining how her interfaith family background influenced her understanding of community and belonging, which led to her work at the Jewish Community Relations Council focusing on Jewish security through coalition-building.

The conversation explores the Holocaust & Humanity Center's unique approach as both a Holocaust museum and humanity center at Cincinnati's Union Terminal. Congedo emphasizes their "story forward" rather than "history forward" approach, focusing not just on tragedy but on resilience, rebuilding, and inspiring action today. She details the center's innovative Humanity Gallery and its character strengths framework that encourages visitors to connect personally with upstander stories.

The episode concludes with a discussion of the center's Upstander Awards, which recognize everyday people who exemplify character strengths shared with Holocaust survivors. Congedo shares a powerful story about an award recipient who discovered unexpected common ground with a survivor's family member, illustrating how universal human themes transcend time and circumstance.