Turning Down the Heat: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Outrage

6 PM

Park 39, 300 E 39th St, Kansas City, MO 64111

Sep

Turning Down the Heat: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Outrage

6 PM

Park 39, 300 E 39th St, Kansas City, MO 64111

American Public Square is honored to host the Second Annual Bridging Movement Summit in Kansas City from September 23–25, 2026 with the Listen First Coalition.

Trust is the foundation of a healthy democracy. Yet trust in our institutions, media, communities, and even one another has fallen to historic lows. How did we arrive at this moment? Who—or what—is responsible for the growing distrust that shapes American life? And most importantly, what can we do to rebuild it? As the opening Signature Event of the 2026 Bridging Movement Summit, this timely conversation will bring together leading democracy experts, journalists, scholars, and civic leaders to examine the roots of America’s trust crisis. From political polarization and misinformation to social isolation and institutional failures, panelists will explore the forces driving the erosion of public trust and confidence. They will also highlight promising solutions and innovative approaches for rebuilding trust across differences, strengthening civic relationships, and renewing the foundations of self-government in America.

Jeremy Hobson, host of NPR’s “The Middle,” will moderate this American Public Square Signature Event, which will be recorded in Kansas City and broadcast nationally through “The Middle,” extending the summit’s conversations to hundreds of public radio stations.

Program Panelists

Mike Abrams is the deputy editor for Trust at The New York Times, leading a team that helps readers better understand the organization’s journalism and values. While at The Times, Mike has also been a deputy editor on the Standards team and was the director of journalism practices and principles. He has been an editor at The Times since 2004. Before joining The Times, Mike was an award-winning reporter and editor at newspapers in Virginia and Pennsylvania. He is a 1994 graduate of Penn State University, where he was a four-year member of The Daily Collegian student newspaper and served as editor in chief in 1993-94. Mike and his wife, Rebecca, met while working at The Collegian. They live in New Jersey and have two kids – one in college, one a recent graduate – and a clingy dog.

Olajumoke “Jummy” Banjo is the Senior Director of the Alliance for Social Trust at the Aspen Institute, where she leads a national initiative to strengthen social trust by convening leaders across sectors, fostering communities of practice, sharing resources, and elevating local efforts that are demonstrating effective approaches to building trust. Jummy has built a career at the intersection of education, law, public policy, and nonprofit leadership, helping institutions develop strategy, foster collaboration, and create lasting social impact. Prior to joining Aspen, she served as Senior Director of the National Racial Equity Initiative for Social Justice at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, where she led national policy and leadership initiatives advancing racial equity across criminal justice, education, health, and economic opportunity. Earlier in her career, Jummy served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Craig Iscoe of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She later joined Georgetown Law as the inaugural Racial Justice & Juvenile Defense Fellow, where she developed advocacy resources and trainings to help juvenile defenders address racial bias in the legal system. Jummy began her career as a middle school teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina, an experience that continues to shape her belief in the power of education, relationships, and community-centered leadership. Her leadership and commitment to public service have been recognized through numerous honors, including the GW Law BLSA Herbert Henderson Justice & Advocacy Award, the Michael Dillon Cooley Memorial Award, and the GW Law Recent Alumni Award. Jummy earned her B.A. in Communications from Howard University, her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, and an LL.M. in Advocacy from Georgetown University Law Center. She is a member of the Maryland State Bar and Founding Chair of the GW Law Public Interest Advisory Council. Outside of work, Jummy enjoys mentoring, curating her sneaker collection, planning memorable events, and bringing people together around a great meal.

Rev. Dr. Branden S. Polk is the Director of Activations at Stand Together, where he leads efforts to build partnerships and advance solutions that address the root causes of intolerance and division. His work focuses on inspiring people to come together across lines of difference, discover shared solutions, and strengthen communities. A social worker, ordained minister, and artist, Branden has devoted his career to advancing human flourishing and removing barriers for vulnerable communities through love, redemption, and bottom-up solutions. At Stand Together, he leads the organization’s investment in Realize the Dream, an initiative founded by Martin Luther King III to advance racial healing, civic renewal, and the vision of Beloved Community. He also helped launch the New Pluralists Funder and Field Collaborative, an initiative advancing pluralism nationally. Branden holds a Doctor of Social Work from Simmons University and an undergraduate degree in Theatre from William & Mary. He currently lives in New York City.

Our Moderator

Jeremy Hobson is the creator, host, and executive producer of The Middle with Jeremy Hobson, which airs live weekly on nearly 500 NPR stations, SiriusXM, podcast platforms, and YouTube. At a time when much of the media ecosystem rewards outrage and ideological silos, The Middle is built around a different idea: that Americans who don’t live on the political extremes still have something valuable and necessary to say.

The show is the only national public radio program that regularly takes live calls from listeners across the country, creating unscripted conversations between people who often disagree but are willing to engage. Its mission is to elevate voices from the geographic, political, and philosophical middle, and to allow people of different views to “meet in the middle” on important issues.

Guests have included Kara Swisher, Katie Couric, Kmele Foster, David Frum, Mark Cuban, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, and former Iraqi President Barham Salih, along with politicians and thinkers from across the political spectrum.

Hobson is the former host of NPR’s Here & Now, which he helped grow into public radio’s top midday news program, tripling its audience to more than five million listeners. Known for his ability to press newsmakers while staying accessible to a broad audience, he interviewed leaders in politics, business, science, and culture with a focus on making complex issues understandable and relevant to everyday Americans.

At age 28, Hobson became the youngest national host in public radio history as anchor of Marketplace Morning Report, the most-listened-to business program in the country. 

He has reported extensively from the field, including from Minneapolis following the killing of Alex Pretti, coverage of Brexit in the UK, immigration in Mexico, and live broadcasts from more than 25 states. He reported from Ferguson, Missouri following the police killing of Michael Brown, and hosted Here & Now  from Yellowstone National Park to mark the National Park Service centennial.

Hobson has also anchored NPR’s live special coverage of major national events, including the Kavanaugh nomination hearings, Robert Mueller’s congressional testimony, and the House Judiciary Committee’s vote on articles of impeachment against Donald Trump.

He began his broadcasting career at age nine on Treehouse Radio in his hometown of Urbana, Illinois.

Event Category: 2026, Civics, Community