After the Fact

Stat: 60%: The share of Americans who say they're very concerned about the cost of housing. Story: In just a few years, from 2019 to 2022, the national median sale price for a single-family home increased by 25%. And the rising costs of buying and maintaining a house has 60% of Americans concerned. Is the American Dream of homeownership out of reach for many? In this episode of "Housing in America," Richard Fry, an expert at the Pew Research Center, talks about the current trends in housing, like where people live, housing availability, and homeownership rates, as well as other factors that contribute to the complex housing landscape that Americans face today.

Rising rents, escalating home prices, and limited housing supply. They are some of the forces pushing the American Dream of homeownership out of reach for many. Increasingly, there is bipartisan support to find a way forward. In this season, After the Fact explores these trends and the challenges individuals and families face in finding housing that's affordable and accessible . We also speak with experts and policymakers who are trying to help more people find a place to call home.

Story: Over most of last year, "After the Fact" looked at how people are restoring and building community at a time when the nation is divided and exhausted. From faith leaders to community activists, and from academics to policymakers, we found rich voices who offered stories of people coming together. At a time of division, they showed that unity is possible—and, in fact, is happening in many places, probably even near you. As the new year begins, this special episode shares reflections from these change-makers and maybe even offers you a chance to become one of them.

Stat: 57%: The percentage of Americans who believe that partisan conflicts receive too much attention these days. Story: A majority of Americans say partisan fighting gets too much attention while important issues facing the country get too little. In the final episode of our season on polarization, Utah Governor Spencer Cox says elected officials can do better at bridging our political divides. He is chair of the National Governors Association and leads an initiative called Disagree Better* that is aimed not at ending disagreements, but in improving dialogue, building understanding, and respectfully listening to others. We also hear from Columbia University's Peter T. Coleman about how we arrived at this level of polarization. *The Pew Charitable Trusts is a funder of the Disagree Better initiative.

Stat: 79%: The share of Americans who believe access to the internet and social media has made people more divided in their political opinions. Story: Social media plays a significant role in society, but data shows that most Americans believe it negatively affects our democracy and contributes to polarization. In this episode of "Beyond Polarization," we hear how high school senior Eli Tillemann is helping his classmates learn how to embrace diversity of opinions. We also speak with Heidi Hernandez Gatty from Dialectic, an organization that is working with students and others to help promote respectful dialogue.

Stat: 65%: The share of Americans who say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. Story: Political polarization has become overwhelming for the majority of Americans, with most agreeing that more attention is being paid to partisan fighting than solving the nation's problems. But there is hope. In this episode of "Beyond Polarization," we speak with experts from Pew Research Center about how Americans view politics and opportunities to find common ground. We also talk to Mónica Guzmán about how her organization, Braver Angels, is teaching people how to dismantle divisions and disagree better.

Stat: An inaccurate "double": Both Democrats and Republicans imagine that almost twice as many of their political opponents hold more extreme views than they really do, according to a study by More in Common. Story: During times of increased polarization and increasing stresses on democracy, researchers are studying how to break down partisan divides and address misconceptions among members of the public. In the first episode of "Beyond Polarization," Columbia University professor and author Peter T. Coleman shares what he has learned from his career spent fostering civil dialogue among people with conflicting viewpoints. He discusses how, despite heightened feelings of disagreement across the country, the current conditions are ideal for setting a new course toward better dialogue and understanding.

If discussing politics feels different today, that's because it is. Pew Research Center reports that 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics because of the country's deep partisan divisions. As polarization increases and trust declines, how can we move forward together? We speak with researchers and bridge builders from across the political and generational spectrum in a new season of "After the Fact." They share how they are facilitating civil dialogue, bridging divides, and protecting our democracy in the process.

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 hometown and in this episode, Donna Frisby-Greenwood, who directs the organization's work in the city, talks about Pew's legacy and commitment to the residents of Philadelphia—and efforts to make government more responsive to the people. We also hear from Trooper Sanders, CEO of Benefits Data Trust, about the work his organization does to connect people to government benefits they're eligible for.

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 government more responsive to the people, including investments in broadband access and early childhood education programs.

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 about the importance of studying public opinion and Americans' outlook on democracy today. We also speak to Michael Caudell-Feagan of The Pew Charitable Trusts about the ways government is working effectively for people, and about Pew's historic role in furthering evidence-based policymaking.

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 efforts to make government more effective. And Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center discusses how the Constitution is a foundation for resolving disagreement, and why he feels hopeful about America's future.

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 every day to solve problems, strengthen democracy, and create a better future.

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 panel highlighted the challenges Americans have faced throughout history, how public opinion and civic engagement influence the perception of our democracy, and how lessons learned from the past can help inform the present and future.

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 social unrest and other divisions in society today.

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 throughout the U.S., encourages Muslim and Jewish women to learn more about each other's lives and religion—building understanding and community.

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 America, as well as Bahá'í leader Syda Segovia Taylor, to learn how religious pluralism can build and strengthen community bonds.

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 Fund for Health and Human Services, about how Project HOME builds a sense of community as it seeks to end homelessness.

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 their community stronger.

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 Project—are addressing the growing demand for behavioral health services and educating their communities about healthy lifestyles.

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, senior vice president of health and public safety with the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute share how 988 and local 911 efforts are working to protect public safety while connecting people to the care they need.

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 associated with therapy and prioritizing wellness. Luger will also speak about what indigenous knowledge can teach us about maintaining good mental health.

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 Coulter, who shares her personal journey to receive methadone treatment. And Dr. Kimberly Roaten, a clinical psychologist at Parkland Health in Dallas, describes how the hospital is expanding access to care through universal suicide screening.

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 and how investments in the mental health care system can improve access to care.

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 the next generation about the vital role that the ocean plays in our planet's health and the global economy. We also hear from a member of EarthEcho's OceanEcho 30x30 fellowship, Salma Macías Torres, from Bahía de Los Ángeles, Mexico, about her efforts to engage youth to build a sustainable future for our ocean.

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 Briggs from the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy about the role of MPAs in restoring the ocean and safeguarding cultural traditions tied to the seas.

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, program director with the Department of Defense; Julie M. Schablitsky, chief archaeologist at the Maryland Department of Transportation; and Kate Larson, a historian and author—we explore the threats facing this refuge because of the changing climate, and the path ahead for its environmental, cultural, and economic future.

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. He explains the science behind the planet's changing environment, its effects on the ocean, and possible solutions to avoid "the climate danger zone."

Stat: 11 million metric tons—the amount of plastic that enters the ocean each year. Story: We continue our "Ocean, People, Planet" season with a discussion of one of the largest threats facing the ocean: plastic pollution. Winnie Lau, who is the project director of Pew's preventing ocean plastics project, and Richard Bailey, professor of environmental systems at Oxford University, discuss ways to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean and highlight a new analytical tool that nations can use to take action.

Story: "Crisis and Change: Conversations With Leaders" is produced in partnership by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In the series, leaders from across the social sector share insights about how they are innovating during challenging times. The COVID-19 pandemic shook the world, challenging public health systems and communities. In this final episode of this special series, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, and Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, share how they're redefining the role of philanthropy in addressing public health crises and preparing for future pandemics.

Story: "Crisis and Change: Conversations With Leaders" is produced in partnership by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In the series, leaders from across the social sector share insights about how they are innovating during challenging times. The increasing wealth gap is a symptom of larger inequities facing Americans today. And 61% of Americans say there's too much economic inequality in the U.S., according to a 2020 Pew Research Center survey. In this episode, Larry Kramer, president of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, discuss the origins of wealth inequality and its impact on American democracy. They also share how their institutions are creating new pathways for all communities to access secure and vibrant futures.

Story: "Crisis and Change: Conversations With Leaders" is produced in partnership by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In the series, leaders from across the social sector share insights about how they are innovating during challenging times. In this episode, Tonya Allen, president of the McKnight Foundation, and John Palfrey, president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, address the growing threat of a changing climate. They discuss how they're answering the global call for solutions that promote equity and protect vulnerable communities, and encourage others in the philanthropic sector to act at this critical time.

Stat: 3 times: The Arctic is warming three times faster than the planet as a whole. Story: The ocean is important for the health of the planet, and coastal communities around the world rely on it for their way of life. In Part II of "The State of Our Ocean," we speak with Sheila (Siila) Watt-Cloutier, an environmental, cultural, and human rights advocate, about the value of the ocean to the Inuit in the Arctic and how challenges such as climate change and rising tides affect her community and its traditional ways of life. "What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic," says Watt-Cloutier. Many of the threats emerging in her people's culture from climate change are reflected across the world in other coastal towns.

Stat: 30%—More than 70 countries support the call to protect and conserve at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030. Story: The ocean is central to all life, providing oxygen, nutrition, and recreation, and supporting economic livelihoods for coastal communities around the globe. But this essential resource is facing multiple threats, including climate change, overfishing and illegal fishing, and plastics pollution. In this new series, "Ocean, People, Planet," we focus on the connection between the health of the ocean and the health of the planet. We'll examine the state of the ocean, the challenges it faces, and offer potential solutions based on data, science, and traditional ways of knowing. In this first episode, we speak with Callum Roberts, marine biologist and oceanographer, about our human history with these waters and how we might chart a better course for our collective future.

Story: "Crisis and Change: Conversations With Leaders" is produced in partnership by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In the series, leaders from across the social sector share insights about how they are innovating during challenging times. In this episode, Crystal Hayling, executive director of The Libra Foundation, and Sonal Shah, founding president of The Asian American Foundation, discuss their organizations' work toward transforming the way race is discussed in America and how to improve understanding about racial concerns to lead to a more inclusive society.

Story: "Crisis and Change: Conversations With Leaders" is produced in partnership by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In the series, leaders from across the social sector share insights about how they contend with challenging times and societal division. In this episode, Susan Urahn, Pew's president and CEO, and Sarah Rosen Wartell, president of the Urban Institute, discuss the deepening political polarization, increasing misinformation, and growing mistrust that has affected public debate—and how they find common ground to forge meaningful change for the good.

Political polarization. Climate change. Racial reckoning. Income inequality. A global pandemic. Since 2020, all five of these immense challenges have emerged or deepened, commanding our attention and prompting major societal and cultural shifts. In this special series produced in partnership by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Stanford Social Innovation Review, we talk with leaders from across the social sector. They take us behind the scenes, sharing approaches and case studies of innovation and resilience during these unprecedented times.

Stat: 4 in 10: U.S. Census data from 2020 shows that 4 in 10 Americans identify with a race other than White. Story: The demographic landscape in the United States is changing rapidly. In this virtual event rebroadcast, guests from our "Race and Research" season discuss how the country's growing diversity is driving a new national conversation about race and ethnicity. The event panelists also highlight the challenges and opportunities researchers face when applying a racial and equity lens to data.

Stat: 93%—93% of new COVID-19 cases were caused by the delta variant in the United States by the end of July 2021. Story: The battle against the COVID-19 virus seemed almost won, but the delta variant is now responsible for a new surge of cases. In this episode, we turn again to infectious disease physician Dr. Rebecca Wurtz to learn more about this new variant and what it means for both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

Charita Castro, a social science researcher and ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassadors program, speaks about how to recruit more women and people of color to the STEM fields¾science, technology, engineering, and math¾to strengthen innovation

In this conversation with Fanta Traore, we hear about her work to support and empower Black women in economics, finance, and data science fields through The Sadie Collective. She shares the latest data on how increasing diversity in the economic workforce can help encourage innovative problem solving for society.

In this bonus episode of our "Race and Research" season, we share an extended talk with Dr. Marie Bernard, chief officer for scientific workforce diversity at the National Institutes of Health, on her experience as a Black female physician and efforts to improve diversity within health care, from at a patient's bedside to medical research.

Stat: 68%: The percentage of technology experts who express doubt about ethical standards in artificial intelligence systems. Story: Technology driven by artificial intelligence and other data science will lead to life-changing innovation in the coming years. But much of the historical data those innovations will rely on could be biased. In this episode, Lee Rainie, director of internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center, reports on the growing ethical concerns of technology experts about the use of artificial intelligence. And Jeannette Wing, who leads the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, discusses ways scientists are confronting bias and how to use "data for good."

Stat: 33%—The percentage of people of color who make up America's STEM workforce. Story: In this episode, we consider the pipeline to the research workforce—higher education. In a conversation with Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and its vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Katharine Cole, we explore how the university supports undergraduate and graduate students from a range of backgrounds and prepares them for STEM careers.

Stat: 99%: The percentage of census tracts in the United States where young black men end up having lower incomes than their white counterparts even though they grew up with comparable family incomes and resources. Story: In this episode of our season on race and research, our guests examine the impact of race on economic mobility. David Williams, of Harvard University's Opportunity Insights, describes research tools that can help communities improve economic outcomes for families and kids. And the Brookings Institution's Andre Perry outlines research showing the systemic undervaluing of homes in black neighborhoods and its implications for family wealth, the health of minority-owned businesses, and the tax bases that fund community needs.