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Marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the 250th anniversary of our republic, a new documentary explores the promise and power of deliberative democracy. 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero, centers on Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, a nationally recognized leader in democratic innovation and public engagement. In 2002, Dr. Lukensmeyer led the historic public forums that brought New Yorkers together to shape the rebuilding of Ground Zero. A pioneer in her field, Dr. Lukensmeyer has advised cities, states, federal agencies, and international institutions on participatory governance and democracy reform. 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero is available on Apple TV and Amazon. For details on upcoming New York City area screenings, visit mattersmedia.org.

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As New York continues to grapple with homelessness, housing instability and the urgent need for more effective pathways to permanent housing, my guest is longtime homeless advocate Mary Brosnahan, who is the new Chief Executive Officer of Providence House, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that has spent more than 45 years providing trauma-informed, community-centered services to women, families, and people returning from incarceration. We talk about the undercount of people living with homelessness, negative perceptions and ineffective policies surrounding homelessness, and what New York could do to help more people move from homelessness and housing instability toward lasting stability. 

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While urban life may feel removed from nature, in fact, animals and cities have always co-existed. So, over the centuries how have cities changed animals? What can we learn from the paths they’ve taken to co-exist in our built-worlds? My guest is award winning writer and social epidemiologist Dan Werb with the book OUR WILD FAMILIARS: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World. Dan Werb is an award-winning writer and social epidemiologist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Salon, and other outlets. His previous books include The Invisible Siege: The Rise of Coronaviruses and the Search for a Cure.

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By age 50 up to 80% of women will have uterine fibroids, and often, without knowing it—because many women with uterine fibroids have no pain at all. But for others, fibroids can be extremely painful with symptoms that can change daily life. My guest is Dr. Yan Katsnelson, Founder of USA Fibroid Centers and Fibroid Fighters, a public welfare organization to advance the cause of women’s health and the safe and effective treatment of uterine fibroids.

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Most people find out about a health problem when it’s already a problem, but Dr. Florence Comite has spent over 30 years proving there’s a better way. Dr. Comite is a clinical-scientist, endocrinologist, leading expert in precision medicine, and New York Times bestselling author of INVINCIBLE: Defy Your Genetic Destiny To Live Better, Longer, in which she shares her proprietary N-of1™ approach used with thousands of patients - analyzing biomarkers, family history, and lifestyle to reverse disease and intervene decades before conventional medicine would even flag a problem.

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Culture For One is a non-profit bringing the arts to New York City children in foster care. Executive Director Susan Kasarsky and Robin Abbott, Senior Director of Programming, talk about the value of the hundreds of artistic experiences they facilitate every year for children in foster care. To learn more about partnerships and volunteering, visit CultureForOne.org.

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THE CREATURES’ GUIDE TO CARING by Elizabeth Preston is a lively and revelatory journey through the evolution of caretaking on Earth, from animal parents to modern-day humans, making the case that caring for children and each other made us who we are. Elizabeth Preston contributes regularly toThe New York Times and The Boston Globe, and has written for Science, The Atlantic, Orion, Slate, Audubon, Discover, National Geographic and others.

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CityFHEPS is the nation’s largest municipal rental-assistance program, providing eligible NYC households vouchers to pay their rent. But unfortunately, receiving a voucher doesn’t necessarily mean a family can use it. My guests are Laura Lazarus, Co-Founder and CEO of Anthos I Home, a non-profit designed to partner with stakeholders to help voucher holders move quickly into affordable housing, and Shanaya Ramsey, to talk about her experience navigating NYC’s voucher program before and after connecting with Anthos.

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In FOR BETTER AND WORSE, Stephanie Coontz unravels the roots marriage trends, looking at critical periods of historical transformation, revealing shifting romantic ideals, gender expectations, and cultural myths that have impacted our family relationships all the way through twenty-first-century life. Stephanie Coontz is the director of research and public education for the Council on Contemporary Families. She’s written five books on gender, family, and history, including MARRIAGE, A HISTORY: How Love Conquered Marriage, which was cited in the U.S. Supreme Court decision on marriage equality.

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Battery Dance marks two milestones this year: The 45th edition of the annual Battery Dance Festival, and the 50th anniversary of Battery Dance Company, founded by Artistic Director Jonathan Hollander. Battery Dance Executive Director Emad Salem previews the free festival in Robert. F. Wagner Park from August 10-16, showcasing movement traditions and artists from the New York area and around the world.

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