The Inspiring Story Of How 5,000 New Yorkers Helped Decide What Would Happen At Ground Zero

Developers and officials wanted to rebuild, but New Yorkers had their own ideas. Some wanted the Twin Towers rebuilt exactly as they had been, others thought nothing should be built on the site, and others wanted to see a total transformation of Lower Manhattan.

Nobody could agree, so the city did something remarkable. They gathered over 5,000 New Yorkers for an event called “Listening to the City”—the largest town hall meeting in U.S. history.

And eventually, they reached a consensus: the footprints of the Twin Towers should remain untouched. That public response helped force officials to reconsider their original redevelopment plans and chart a new course, leading to the memorial that exists today.

Can democracy actually work when people profoundly disagree—when people are grieving, angry, frightened and convinced they're right? This story shows us that yes, it can.

New Yorkers responded to an attack on democracy by reclaiming their democracy. This inspiring story shows us what can happen when everyone is given a seat at the table, and simply asked to listen.

9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero is out on digital September 1. You can learn more about the film here.