Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes environmental activist Catherine Coleman Flowers for a conversation about widespread failures of public sanitation in the U.S., and the health and economic impacts on vulnerable populations in rural communities. They explore root causes of these systemic lapses, the increasing threat of climate change, and how her research and advocacy expanded from one Alabama county to communities across the country.  They also discuss the power of leading by listening, building a broad, diverse network of supporters, and maintaining humility and optimism in the face of daunting challenges.