On Spirits & Stories: Media, Division and Why Listening Still Matters
I was recently a guest on the podcast Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn where we explored the themes at the heart of my docuseries This Is What New Yorkers Say: media narratives, public trust, and what happens when we stop truly listening to one another.
🎧 Watch on YouTube
The New Yorkers Most People Don’t See
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was getting to celebrate just how incredible New Yorkers are. During the filming of the documentary and throughout the years that followed, including during the film festival run, New Yorkers made me feel at home.
What some might see as rudeness is actually honesty and directness. Coming from Italy, those are qualities I truly appreciate. Yes, New Yorkers are opinionated, but they’re also thoughtful, resilient, and full of wisdom.
That energy is what makes This Is What New Yorkers Say so powerful. Every person in the series is authentic, reflective, and their voice matters deeply.
When the Political Left Moves Further Left
We also discussed the growing tension within political parties, particularly how people who once identified as liberal are now seen as not progressive enough and how that plays out in the New York City mayoral race.
“Cuomo was always the hero of Democrats because he fought with Trump. Republicans hated him because he fought with Trump. But now people on the left consider him to be similar to Trump.”
This connects directly to the documentary, where New Yorkers talk about the internal split within the Democratic Party and how Andrew Cuomo, as a moderate, often found himself in conflict with the party’s more progressive wing.
Cuomo and the Media
As in many of my other interviews, the Cuomo allegations came up, particularly how they were handled by the media. I shared how this coverage was one of the main catalysts for creating the series.
“I would listen to what Cuomo said, and how the media interpreted that, and it was totally different from my understanding.”
The documentary doesn’t try to provide easy answers. Instead, it challenges the audience to think critically about how media narratives are formed and what gets left out.
The Dangerous Loss of Dialogue
A big reason I felt compelled to create This Is What New Yorkers Say is my growing frustration with how divided this country has become. On both the political left and right, people are struggling to engage with those they disagree with.
This series is about listening. And it’s about seeing the humanity in people even when we don’t share the same perspective.
Focus on the Vision, Not Just the Policies
In the episode, we also talked about how good intentions don’t always guarantee good outcomes. That’s why I tend to focus less on judging politicians solely by the outcomes of their policies and more on the broader vision they hold for society.
In the episode, I compare it to a modern phenomenon where kids can’t tie their shoelaces.
🎧 Listen to the Full Podcast
Watch the Spirits and Stories episode on YouTube
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