ABSTRACT
The Town Hall theater in New York City’s Broadway theater district is full to capacity. In a few minutes the evening’s program will begin; already preparations are being made to close the entrance doors. I’m concerned that some of the hundreds of people I’ve invited will arrive just 5 minutes late and miss the opportunity to hear Dr. Fred Newman’s annual psychology lecture. There is a buzz in the theater. Most everyone is noticing the uniqueness of the crowd; the diversity of the audience is captivating. Of the 1,500 people in attendance, there are those one would expect to be attending a psychology lecture—helping professionals, psychologists, physicians, counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists. But this is not the American Psychological Association. What makes this event unusual is the mix of people— many hundreds of New Yorkers, young and old, from many different neighborhoods, and all ethnicities and walks of life. This is a community event.
