Arizona Talks hosted a special Constitution Day event on September 17, 2025, at Empire in Scottsdale, Arizona. People from across the political spectrum came together to reflect on the Constitution’s meaning today, the importance of the First Amendment, and practical ways we can all help build a more perfect union.

Highlights:

• Opening remarks from Carlos Alfaro on the mission of Arizona Talks: fostering fact-based, civil debate on tough issues like elections, immigration, education, gun rights, and more.

• Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky read the Preamble and called for civil dialogue in the wake of recent tragic events.
• Chris Kline (Arizona Media Association) previewed a statewide, nonpartisan education town hall airing across 400+ Arizona media outlets.
• Rep. Matt Gress discussed Article V, the evolution of free speech protections, and why listening is as vital as speaking in a democracy.
• ASU Law Vice Dean Angela Banks explored our shared responsibility to “know, care, and act,” and how due process applies to “all persons.”
• Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick reflected on separation of powers, the courts’ role in protecting liberty, and how civil discourse can counter polarization.
• Audience Q&A covered free speech, hate speech, judicial independence, elections, gerrymandering, and fostering curiosity and humanity across differences.
• Laura Terech (Arizona America 250 Commission) shared statewide programming and a traveling museum ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Key themes:

• Free speech and the duty to listen
• Civic education and participation at every level
• Courts as guardians of constitutional rights
• Building bridges through curiosity, humility, and shared purpose

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome & Mission — Carlos Alfaro

03:30 Preamble & Remarks — Mayor Lisa Borowsky

08:15 Media/Statewide Education Town Hall — Chris Kline

12:00 Constitution Reflections & First Amendment — Rep. Matt Gress

26:30 Know, Care, Act — Vice Dean Angela Banks (ASU Law)

31:00 Courts, Liberty, and Civil Discourse — Justice Clint Bolick

43:00 America 250 — Laura Terech

47:00 Panel Q&A: Free Speech, Institutions, Elections, Gerrymandering

1:23:00 Closing & Ways to Get Involved

Be part of the solution. Visit ArizonaTalks.org to learn more, become a member, donate, and find upcoming events. Invite a friend, bring your questions, and help grow a culture of respectful, informed debate in Arizona.

At our intimate event at Cider Corps in Downtown Mesa, we were joined by guest speakers who shared their stories, expertise, and a myriad of views from across the political spectrum. We discussed the current state of our public education system and how we can improve from consistently being ranked at or near the bottom of state education systems.

In this episode, you'll hear from:

• Beth Lewis, Director of Save Our Schools Arizona
• Matt Beienburg, Director of Education Policy at the Goldwater Institute
• Rich Nickel, President and CEO of Education Forward Arizona
• Jenny Clark, Founder and Executive Director of Love Your School
• Paul Boyer, Former Arizona State Senator for LD 20

Welcome to the second installment of the Arizona Talks Interview Series, our new video series in which we bring professional interviewers and top political minds together.

In this episode, which takes place at El Charro Hipster Bar and Cafe on Historic Grand Avenue in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona, you’ll get to hear Chris Kline, President of the Arizona Broadcasters Association, sit down with Paul Boyer, the Arizona State Senator and Chair of the Arizona House Education Committee who represents Arizona’s 20th Legislative District.

During the interview, Senator Boyer and Chris Kline talk about education, choosing between party and principle, experiencing death threats, and some of the big issues facing the legislature and the state of Arizona.

About Arizona Talks:

The Arizona Talks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating robust debate, open dialogue, and expert analysis on public policy issues.

Civil and substantive discussions about public policy are essential to preserving a free society. As a nonprofit organization, we create programs of distinction that engage minds and promote a culture of open inquiry, fact based analysis, and vigorous, civil debate.

Find out more about what we do at https://ArizonaTalks.org