The Constitution begins with "We the People." The rest of the American story is, in many ways, the unfolding of who becomes "We."

The Democracy of Public Space – Part One: Do We Mean It? traces the evolution of the National Mall from an unfinished vision into one of the world's great civic stages, culminating in Marian Anderson's historic 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

This is the story of an unfinished vision, a civic stage, and the generations of people who continue the work of becoming "We."

The Constitution begins with "We the People." The rest of the American story is, in many ways, the unfolding of who becomes "We."

The Democracy of Public Space – Part One: Do We Mean It? traces the evolution of the National Mall from an unfinished vision into one of the world's great civic stages, culminating in Marian Anderson's historic 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

This is the story of an unfinished vision, a civic stage, and the generations of people who continue the work of becoming "We."

As a new year begins, we take a moment to look toward the future.

This episode features two conversations that explore how imagining what comes next shapes the places we live. Futurist JT Mudge joins us to talk about how foresight helps us think beyond binaries and prepare for change, while Seattle-based historian Feliks Banel reflects on the 1962 Century 21 Exposition and how visions of the future helped shape the Seattle we know today.

Together, these conversations consider how the futures we imagine grow out of the moments we’re living in—and how those imagined futures can leave lasting marks on our cities.