Washington (August 24, 2026) – George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, in partnership with Boise State University, will host America Listens: Conversations That Move Us Forward on Wednesday, September 16. This event will bring together speakers from across the country and from a wide range of professions and backgrounds for a conversation centered on the values that shape their lives and communities.
The event will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the USC Grand Ballroom at GW. PBS will audio-record the event.
America Listens invites participants to respond to questions such as: “What do you value, and why? How do you put that value into practice in your life, for example in your political, economic, educational, or social positions?”
Event Details
What: America Listens: Conversations That Move Us Forward
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 5:30–8 p.m.
Where: USC Grand Ballroom, George Washington University
Featured speakers include:
- Jose Lopez
- Jose Lopez is a 34-year-old first-generation Mexican American from Flint, Michigan. He serves as a Project Manager in the nonprofit community-based organization (CBO) sector. He enjoys helping others, spending time with his family, and outdoor activities. Jose is passionate about supporting his community and making a positive impact.
- Tess Collins of New York City, a bar owner
- Joe Galeota
- Virtually a lifelong Boston resident, Joseph Galeota is a grandson of four immigrant grandparents, two Italian and two Irish, who at one time lived in the same Boston tenement. Accepted into the National Teacher Corps in 1967, the 81-year-old spent most of his life teaching in urban school systems, mostly as a middle-school math teacher.
- Jessica Spillers
- Jessica Spillers is a wife, mother of three, and North America Sales Director at Assai Software Services in The Woodlands, Texas. She holds degrees in electrical engineering and theological studies and is a committed Christian focused on family, faith, and advocating for a brighter, freer tomorrow for all.
The speakers represent a range of geographic locations, occupations, experiences, and perspectives. Rather than featuring elected officials or celebrities, America Listens seeks to elevate the voices of people who do not typically have a national platform and create an opportunity for audiences to listen to perspectives different from their own.
For the September 16 event, organizers have brought together speakers from across the country representing different occupations, backgrounds, ages, and life experiences. Organizers acknowledge that no single group of speakers can perfectly represent the diversity of the United States, but the program is designed to create space for a range of voices and perspectives, with the hope that future America Listens events can continue expanding the conversation.
About America Listens
America Listens grew out of Idaho Listens, a program hosted by Boise State University that began in 2022. The program seeks to create a space for conversations about values and listening, with the goal of fostering greater understanding and humanizing national discourse. America Listens continues that effort by bringing together people from different parts of the country and a variety of occupations and backgrounds to share their experiences and perspectives.
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