Trust Is Built When Community Input Changes Decisions
Valerie Jarrett of the Obama Foundation and Allstate chief executive Tom Wilson argue that trust is built through local work that gives people real influence and a reason to cooperate, not through appeals for consensus. Jarrett says community engagement must alter institutions’ decisions, drawing on the Obama Presidential Center’s development on Chicago’s South Side; Wilson argues that people can work together on recovery and resilience even when they disagree about climate change. Both frame durable policy and civic action as the product of relationships, reciprocity and repeated shared obligations.
The Aspen Institute·Aug 4, 2026·10 min read
