Higher education can and must again take leadership in promoting the participatory processes and instilling the democratic values needed to build a vibrant and fair society. Using his most recent book, Neighborhood democracy: Building anchor partnerships between colleges and their communities, Dr. Richard Guarasci will lead a robust discussion with two panelists who have been doing deep work on the ground. Bobbie Laur, current Campus Compact President and former Executive Director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, and Dr. Nyeema Watson, Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civic Engagement at Rutgers University-Camden will talk about what it looks like to engage with communities in reciprocal ways that promote community involvement, increase the attainment of postsecondary education, and generate funding.