00:09 - We're joined by Gene Barr, former president, CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber

00:12 - of Business and Industry, who also serve on the Commission for America, too.

00:16 - How did you get involved in this organization?

00:18 - Well, it was one of the speaker appointments former

00:21 - speaker of the House was looking for folks who had an interest in history, too.

00:25 - Obviously ties to Pennsylvania, was looking for ways

00:27 - that we could put people in here who could really create

00:29 - the kind of celebration of what we're looking for here.

00:34 - So we're at the convening of states event this weekend.

00:36 - What is the significance of this event to you?

00:38 - Look, this is a great way to jumpstart this.

00:41 - Look towards for two years from now, the semi quincentennial

00:44 - a little tough to say, but a great opportunity to do this.

00:48 - 30 states, different

00:49 - states are here, more than 40 different counties here in Pennsylvania.

00:53 - Numerous other organizations are here in a perfect place.

00:56 - National Constitution Center.

00:58 - You look out the window, you see Independence Hall in

01:01 - Little Biased, the best city to celebrate this

01:03 - Philadelphia and the best state to celebrate this Pennsylvania.

01:07 - Now, in your former role with the chamber, obviously

01:09 - you looked at the economic stability of Pennsylvania.

01:12 - What do you think the impact will be both on the city of Philadelphia

01:15 - as well as Pennsylvania as a whole, having this national spotlight on us?

01:18 - Look, we certainly hope and believe this is going to drive tourism.

01:21 - It's going to bring people to places all across Pennsylvania

01:24 - and not just the usual the the Philadelphia, the Gettysburg,

01:28 - but we heard today about the Dennis Forum, one of the remarkable stories

01:31 - about free black folks who came here and created their own opportunities.

01:34 - I think it's a chance to highlight

01:36 - those places that we don't hear about a lot.

01:38 - The under told stories that we're hearing here today as well.

01:42 - And to talk about that,

01:43 - to drive tourism there, not just tourism, but the driving understanding.

01:47 - And at a time when we have so much divisiveness

01:49 - in this country

01:50 - to create more of a shared understanding of what does bring us together,

01:53 - because in reality, there's more that we share than more that divides us.

01:58 - What makes you proud to be a Pennsylvanian?

02:00 - there's so much in Pennsylvania, obviously from the birthplace of our country here,

02:04 - the saving of the nation at Gettysburg, all of those things.

02:08 - Certainly should have any Pennsylvanian proud

02:11 - to be from this nation, proud to be from this commonwealth.

02:14 - Gene Barr, thank you for joining us. Thank you.