ABOUT THIS EPISODE
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Adam Mizel is back on the show with an update on Unity Seats, the program he built to get strangers from different walks of life sitting together at games — and it's grown fast. Since his last visit, Adam and his team at US United have run Unity Seats with the Twins, the Lynx, and the Vikings here in Minnesota, working closely with the Sheriff Unity Network to bring together people who'd otherwise never cross paths.
Now he's taking the concept national. This Friday, the 25th anniversary of 9/11, hundreds of high schools across the country will host Unity Seats at their Friday Night Lights games, led by local sheriffs, with moments of silence and coin tosses honoring that day. Adam was living six blocks from the World Trade Center when it happened, and that history shapes why this project matters so much to him.
Wilk and Adam dig into what makes sports such a powerful unifier, why sheriffs are uniquely positioned to lead this kind of work, and Adam's simple ask for anyone listening at home: post one positive thing you did or saw this week and help “break the algorithm.” It's a grounded, hopeful conversation about what unity actually looks like when it isn't just a talking point.
Learn more and find a Friday Night Lights event near you at us-united.org.
Key Themes
● Sports as the last shared language — Adam makes the case that sports remain one of the few things left that cross nearly every line in this country, from a locker room full of people who “aren't supposed to like each other” to strangers in the stands who become friends over three hours.
● Sheriffs as apolitical community builders — elected by voters rather than appointed by politicians, and often the largest providers of mental health services in their counties, sheriffs occupy a rare position outside the usual political fight, which is why US United built an entire network around them.
● Scaling from stadiums to Friday nights — most of America doesn't live in a city with a pro team, so Adam and his partners built Friday Night Lights Unity Seats to bring the same idea to high school football games in communities of every size, from Manhattan to rural Montana.
● Breaking the algorithm — Adam's answer to “what can one person actually do” is deliberately small: post one positive, community-building moment a week and help shift what social media rewards.
● Getting out of the bubble — Wilk and Adam talk candidly about how quickly people get sorted into labels based on appearance alone, and what gets missed when we stop there instead of getting to know the person.
Takeaways
● You don't need a title, a platform, or money to build unity — Adam's ask is 30 seconds a week, posting one positive thing.
● Local partners — sheriffs, sports teams, schools, community organizations — are what make bridging work scale beyond one city at a time.
● The unity so many people associate with 9/11 in 2001 wasn't a one-time fluke — it's something Americans can choose again without needing a tragedy to prompt it.
● Get involved: follow US United on social media, email info@us-united.org to bring Friday Night Lights Unity Seats to your community, or simply show up to a game.
Learn more about and connect with Adam MizelAdam Mizel is the co-founder of US United, a nonprofit built to help Americans reconnect across political and cultural divides, and co-founder of the Sheriff Unity Network alongside Genesee County, Michigan Sheriff Chris Swanson. He created Unity Seats, a program that partners with sports teams and local sheriffs to seat strangers side by side at games, and now leads the Friday Night Lights Unity Seats initiative marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in high school stadiums across the country.
Website: https://www.us-united.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/US-United-105221345302216
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-united/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@usunitedorg
Instagram: us_united_org | TikTok: US.united
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