Seven additional leaders from across civic life, education, public service, media, and social innovation have agreed to join a growing group of Americans standing publicly behind a simple but increasingly urgent idea: our country can navigate deep differences without sacrificing either conviction or respect.
Their appointment marks the latest expansion of the Braver Angels Advisory Council, a diverse and growing body of influential leaders who believe that America’s divisions are not inevitable and that citizens can learn to engage one another with curiosity, honesty, and courage.
As Braver Angels approaches a decade of bringing Americans together across political differences, our work continues to help people build the skills, relationships, and habits that make self-government possible. What began as an effort to demonstrate that productive disagreement is still possible has grown into a nationwide movement empowering Americans to practice courageous citizenship and build together across differences.
As polarization continues to strain civic life, more leaders from across the ideological, professional, and cultural landscape are recognizing the importance of creating spaces where Americans can disagree without contempt. The continued growth of the Advisory Council reflects that recognition and signals a broader response to the Braver Angels vision of courageous citizenship.
Today, Braver Angels is pleased to announce seven new members of the Braver Angels Advisory Council:
- John Bridgeland has spent decades advancing civic participation, national service, educational opportunity, and democratic renewal. Through organizations such as More Perfect, the COVID Collaborative, Welcome.US, and Malaria No More, he has helped mobilize Americans around some of the nation’s most pressing challenges.
- Sunni Brown has dedicated her career to helping people better understand themselves and one another through creativity, reflection, and collaborative practice. Her work explores the inner capacities that make constructive dialogue and collective problem-solving possible.
- Louise Dubé has transformed civic learning for millions of young Americans through her leadership of iCivics, one of the nation’s most influential civic education organizations. Her work has expanded access to engaging, innovative tools that help prepare the next generation for informed citizenship.
- Kristin Hansen is a leader in the democracy renewal and civic bridge-building movement. As Executive Director of Civic Health Project, she advances national-scale projects to reduce polarization. Kristin also serves as Chief of Staff of The Forum and as a co-chair of the More Perfect campaign and the Council on Technology and Social Cohesion.
- Tami Pyfer has built bridges across sectors throughout a career that spans elected office, education, public policy, and civic innovation. Her leadership at Dignity.Us and work on the Dignity Index reflects a commitment to elevating the quality of public discourse and strengthening democratic culture.
- Jeffrey Rosen is one of America’s foremost constitutional scholars and public educators. Through his leadership at the National Constitution Center, his scholarship, and his writing, he has helped millions of Americans engage thoughtfully with the principles and institutions that sustain a free society.
- John Wood Jr. is the founder and president of The OmniAmerican Society and host of The KINGdom Project radio show on KBLA 1580 in Los Angeles. Wood is a noted writer and speaker on the subjects of race, culture, nonviolence and traditional conservatism, and a respected leader in the movement to bridge the divide. He is also a former Republican nominee for congress, a former USA Today Opinion Columnist, and most notably the former national ambassador for Braver Angels.
Over the past year, leaders from remarkably different backgrounds and viewpoints have chosen to associate themselves with a common cause: strengthening the capacity of Americans to engage constructively across disagreement. These seven accomplished voices join our widening circle of Americans committed to rebuilding trust and strengthening the habits of democratic citizenship.
The continued growth of this Council suggests that the Braver Angels message is resonating among leaders who recognize both the seriousness of our divisions and the possibility of a healthier way forward. It reflects a growing conviction that Americans are hungry for alternatives to polarization and that rebuilding trust across differences is among the most important civic challenges of our time.
We are honored that these seven leaders have chosen to join the Advisory Council and lend their voices, experience, and influence to this effort.
