Stat: 65%:  The percentage of Philadelphians who said the city is “pretty seriously off on the wrong track” in 2023.   Story: Philadelphia is a thriving city with a deep history as the birthplace of American democracy. But Philadelphians, like residents of other large cities, are also grappling with issues such as gun violence, deep poverty, and accessing affordable housing. In a recent survey, 65% of Philadelphians said the city is on the wrong track.   Philadelphia is Pew’s...

Stat: 60% - The share of U.S. adults who have at least some confidence in the future of the U.S. Story: A vibrant democracy requires a government responsive to the people it serves. And although polls show strong dissatisfaction with American democracy, Pew Research Center also found that 60% of Americans have at least some confidence in the future of the country. Seeking to build on that confidence, Pew experts in this episode discuss innovative, bipartisan policy approaches that help make...

Stat: 6 in 10: The share of Americans who are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in the United States.   Story: Increased political polarization, shifting societal values, and growing distrust in institutions threatens the public’s confidence in our democratic system. And a recent Pew Research Center survey shows that almost 60% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in the United States. In this episode, we speak to experts from Pew Research Center...

Story: The Pew Charitable Trusts has worked to strengthen democracy in America for 75 years. But today, at a time of growing polarization and waning trust in institutions, those efforts have never been more important. Pew’s nonpartisan, data-driven approach provides facts that offer a shared language about the challenges facing society—and helps disparate parties find common ground. In this episode, Pew’s president and CEO, Susan K. Urahn, talks about Pew’s history and the organization’s...

A vibrant democracy depends upon an effective government that listens to and acts on the will of the people. Even in these polarized times, with many Americans lacking confidence in the nation’s future, there’s reason for optimism about democracy. In a new season of “After the Fact,” we explore how The Pew Charitable Trusts is using data to make a difference and make government more effective—building trust and helping communities thrive. We also speak to some of the people who are working...

Only 19% of Americans are satisfied with the current state of the nation and 58% say that life for people like them is worse today than it was 50 years ago, according to an April  survey from Pew Research Center. During an event on “Strengthening Democracy in America,” part of Pew’s 75th anniversary celebration, filmmaker Ken Burns, Pew Research Center president Michael Dimock, and Syracuse University professor Beverly Kirk discussed those findings before a live and online audience. The...

In celebration of Pew’s 75th anniversary, we hosted a special live event titled “Strengthening Democracy in America,” featuring a conversation between Pew’s president and CEO, Sue Urahn, and Carla Hayden, the current librarian of Congress. They discussed how libraries serve as a “bastion of equal opportunity,” providing access to unbiased information, and why an informed citizenry is essential to a strong democracy.

Belonging to a religious community is linked with higher levels of civic engagement, according to data from Pew Research Center. In the U.S., for example, 69% of people who are religiously active say they also vote in national elections. In this final episode of “Restoring Community,” we travel to Bowie, Maryland, to speak with Tameeka Washington and Stephen Weisman, leaders of the Interfaith Coalition of Bowie, to learn how they’re uniting people across faiths and backgrounds amid the...

At a time when many people lament divisions in society, some interfaith organizations are showing that seemingly disparate religious groups can bring people together and build community. In this episode of our “Restoring Community” season, we speak to Pew Research Center’s Alan Cooperman about Americans’ generally positive views on religious faiths. We also hear from members of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, including its executive director, Tahija Vikalo. The organization, with chapters...

Religious diversity is a characteristic that defines American society, and today, more people are embracing interfaith connections. Seventy-two percent of Americans say they have built a relationship with someone from a different religion than their own, according to a survey from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and Interfaith America (formerly Interfaith Youth Core, IFYC). In this episode of “Restoring Community,” we speak with Eboo Patel and Jeff Pinzino from Interfaith...

In this episode, part of our season on “Restoring Community,” we travel to Philadelphia, Pew’s hometown, to learn how Project HOME has created a supportive gathering place for people experiencing homelessness. Although Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate of any big city in America, it has the fewest number of people experiencing street homelessness. We hear from Project HOME’s co-founder Sister Mary Scullion, residents and staff of the nonprofit, and Kristin Romens, who leads the Pew...

In this episode of “Restoring Community,” we travel to the Kinship Community Food Center, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We hear from the center’s executive director, Vincent Noth, about how he transformed a former community pantry into a gathering place, and residents share their experiences finding fellowship, belonging, and connection through food.

Recent data from the Pew Research Center shows many Americans believe that trust in each other is eroding. But a greater amount—86%—of U.S. adults believe that it is possible to improve people’s confidence in one another. In this episode of “Restoring Community,” we travel to Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood to learn how Michael and Danielle Battle, co-founders of the nonprofit Restoring Inner City Hope (RICH), are showing up in authentic and vulnerable ways to empower residents and make...

Americans’ distrust of government—and of each other—hovers at record high levels. And while communities continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing signs of civic renewal. In a new season of “After the Fact,” we travel to cities throughout the country to witness ways that people are gathering across divides to solve complex problems, restore community, and renew the principles of democracy.

In this bonus episode of our “Mental Health in America” season, Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, talks about the intersection of mental health and substance use issues. Gupta, the first physician to lead the office, also explains how evidence-based treatments are curbing overdoses and discusses the importance of removing barriers such as stigma for those seeking treatment.

Access to mental health care is a rising concern in communities throughout the country—especially for groups already experiencing challenges connecting with primary care providers. In this episode, Mimi Narayan from Pew’s Health Impact Project outlines the factors that contribute to health disparities and how to make care more equitable. We also hear how immigrant and Indigenous community leaders—Orfelina Feliz Payne from Puentes de Salud and Tahlia Natachu from the Zuni Youth Enrichment...

Personnel from America’s emergency response systems are on the front lines answering calls from individuals experiencing mental health crises. In this episode of “Mental Health in America,” Julie Wertheimer, project director for Pew’s work on mental health and justice partnerships, discusses the current state of these response systems and their impact on our criminal justice system. Joseph Getch, CEO of PRS, a Virginia nonprofit that provides behavioral health services, and B.J. Wagner,...

The conversation on acknowledging, identifying, and treating mental health challenges has shifted during the pandemic as a growing number of Americans experience high levels of psychological distress. In this episode we speak to Alec Tyson from The Pew Research Center about how Americans are managing their mental health during difficult times. We’ll also hear from Laura Marques Brown, an ecotherapist, and Chelsey Luger, wellness advocate and author, about their work breaking down stigmas...

Stigma surrounds two growing public health problems in the United States: substance use disorder and suicide. In this episode of “Mental Health in America,” Sheri Doyle, who leads Pew’s substance use prevention and treatment initiative, and Allison Corr, from Pew’s suicide risk reduction project, discuss the rise in these disorders. We also hear from Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, who explains how stigma limits access to treatment, and from Abby...

The pandemic increased concerns about mental health in America and exposed a lack of access to treatment and a growing demand for services—all issues that existed before the COVID-19 outbreak. In this episode of “Mental Health in America,” NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee and Catherine Ettman, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explore challenges facing the mental health care system. They’ll also explain the factors that contribute to poor mental health...

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a considerable toll on the nation’s mental health: The percentage of Americans experiencing symptoms of depression has tripled since 2020, and many of these people lack access to mental health care. In a new season, we speak with experts about how the national conversation on mental health is changing, and with people working in communities to find meaningful solutions to this burgeoning crisis.

Stat: $2.5 trillion—The estimated GDP of the ocean, according to a 2015 report by the World Wildlife Fund, making it the seventh-largest economy in the world. Story: In this episode, we speak with Ashlan Cousteau and Philippe Cousteau Jr., who, inspired by the legacy of Philippe’s grandfather, undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau, have dedicated their careers to ocean conservation. They discuss how they’re continuing that legacy through their work with EarthEcho International and educating...

Stat: 680 million—According to the United Nations, about 680 million people live in low-lying coastal zones around the world, a number expected to increase to 1 billion by 2050.  Story: In this episode, we explore how communities that rely on a healthy ocean are working to create marine protected areas (MPAs) to preserve biodiversity—and their livelihoods. In addition to hearing from Ludovic Burns Tuki, a community leader on Easter Island, home to the Rapa Nui MPA, we speak with Johnny...

Stat: 2.1 feet—Scientists have forecast an increase of as much as 2.1 feet in the Chesapeake Bay by 2050. Story: In this episode, we travel to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, where the refuge is losing ground to climate change and rising sea levels. Through interviews with experts—including Joseph Gordon, who directs Pew’s work on coastal marine life in the U.S.; Marcia Pradines Long, manager of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge; Kristin Thomasgard,...

Stat: 51% of Americans say the U.S. is doing a very bad or somewhat bad job of addressing climate change. Story: Amid growing public concern about rising seas, extreme weather, and disappearing biodiversity, we speak with Michael Oppenheimer, the Albert G. Milbank professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University and a longtime participant in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change....