America in One Room

America in One Room (A1R) was a fall 2019 political event that assembled the largest representative sample of the American voting electorate in history to discuss political issues.

To conduct a “deliberative poll,” a forum for political discussion over several days, A1R’s organizers brought together over 500 participants from across the country in "the most representative sample of the American voting electorate in U.S. history," according to A1R's organizers. Researchers tracked participants' opinions throughout the event. They found that through dialogue, polarization decreased—providing a roadmap for a future of more productive political discourse—and they were able to gain better insights into the American electorate and voter persuasion.

Slingshot served as the principal political advisor to A1R, working with a team of academics and non-profits, including the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University, NORC at the University of Chicago, and By the People Productions. Outside of logistical and strategic advising, Slingshot worked to recruit an array of high-profile political figures to speak at the event, including 2020 presidential candidates Julián Castro and Michael Bennet. Slingshot also helped the A1R communications team maximize event coverage in order to spark widespread dialogue beyond the event itself.

A1R received widespread media attention, including a special supplemental section in the New York Times that detailed the event and its findings.