9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero

Once the smoke had cleared and the rubble was hauled away after 9/11, New Yorkers faced the task of rebuilding their city. When redevelopment plans were rushed through, more than 5,000 people assembled in the largest town hall America had ever seen. They gathered to vote on six proposals for rebuilding Ground Zero. Instead, they rejected the top-down approach and successfully forged a new way forward. Their efforts shaped what stands at Ground Zero today, and their story shows what democracy can look like.