From our friends at SC Humanities …
SC Humanities is partnering with USC's Office of Community Engagement for the 3rd Annual Better Together Film Festival to host a free screening of 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero on Friday, July 31, from 6–8 p.m. at All Good Books (734 Harden St., Columbia).
The film explores what happened after the September 11 attacks, focusing on the rebuilding of Ground Zero and the resilience of New Yorkers in the years that followed. After the screening, SC Humanities Executive Director, Bingo Gunter will facilitate a community conversation about the film.
About the Film — 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero, 2026, 69 minutes
After the 9/11 attacks, after the smoke was gone, after the rubble cleared away, New Yorkers had a city to rebuild. After the towers fell, no one could agree on what should be done with Ground Zero. In response to fast tracked redevelopment plans, New York decided to do one of the bravest – or maybe one of the most unconventional – things in the history of city planning: they gathered 5,000 representative New Yorkers for the largest town hall in American history and asked them to decide. They came to vote on the city’s six proposals for rebuilding Ground Zero. But instead, the people rejected the top down approach and successfully charted a new path forward. Their work determined what is at Ground Zero today. People expected chaos, yelling, maybe even a fistfight. But what happened was democracy. Director: J.B. Sabey | Executive Producers: Sarah Perkins, J.B. Sabey, Carolyn Lukensmeyer | Producers: Robbie Shinder, Lisa Sabey
About the Project — Better Together Film Festival
At a time when Americans’ trust in others - and in our institutions - is at an all time low, and our media is plagued by toxically polarizing narratives, the social fabric of our nation can feel beyond repair. Now is a time for Americans to hear, see, and experience the stories of people coming together across their differences to solve problems together in their neighborhoods and build feelings of belonging in their communities. In alignment with America’s 250th Anniversary this year, local organizations across the country will host screenings of films that inspire hope, celebrate freedom, and model people uniting across differences to make their communities stronger. Audiences will have the opportunity to meet neighbors, reflect together, engage in conversations, and ultimately build relationships with fellow community members.
Dr. Jennifer “Bingo” Gunter
About SC Humanities Executive Director — Bingo Gunter
Jennifer “Bingo” Gunter, PhD is an historian of the US South with a foundation in Southern Studies. She is an educator as well as a scholar, having spent the last decade in classrooms teaching history, media studies, Southern Studies, ethics, philosophy, and public speaking. After serving in various roles at the University of South Carolina, she applied for the position of Executive Director at SC Humanities. She had been on the board of directors for five years and developed a deep appreciation of the importance of the organization. After a nationwide search, she began the role with SC Humanities in July of 2025.
She earned a B.A. and M.A. in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi and a Ph.D. in History from the University of South Carolina.