In an exciting intersection of grassroots leadership and academia, community advocates Reeni Kennedy-Boyle and Jim Osborne recently sat down with Dr. Jack Harris, program director of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University, for an open dialogue on local democracy. Joining the conversation were several Rutgers students, who brought fresh perspectives to the table. The lively discussion focused on the vital role community-driven governance plays today and highlighted the growing importance of fostering civic engagement among the next generation of leaders.