April Lawson: Leading Braver Angels Debates
April Lawson, Braver Angels board member and architect of the Braver Angels Debate’s program, sits down with Doug Sprei on the Higher Ed Now podcast (affiliated with the American Council […]
April Lawson, Braver Angels board member and architect of the Braver Angels Debate’s program, sits down with Doug Sprei on the Higher Ed Now podcast (affiliated with the American Council […]
Florida Today // An 80something grandmother who watches conservative TV for hours on end. A young man whose Republican parents consider him a left-wing activist. A first-time voter stuck in the middle of political uproar with many questions for friends who don’t seem to listen. How do they and others with conflicting views best communicate without acrimony but also, without sacrificing their values?
Sounds simplistic, but in uncivil times, try to let ‘braver angels’ guide you Read More »
The Journal Times // The vast majority of us are neither evil nor stupid, and we can learn from each other and work together for the common good, but only if we see each other as human beings first.
We are humans before we are liberals or conservatives Read More »
In this special episode of the Braver Angels Podcast, writer and philosopher Lexi Hudson interviews David Blankenhorn, founder and president of Braver Angels, about the state of polarization in the
The Craft of Self-Governance: Lexi Hudson interviews David Blankenhorn Read More »
Kenosha News // I am a conservative. I am not ashamed of it. In fact, I’m proud of my beliefs. However, it has become difficult to talk about it for fear of being disregarded, rejected or dismissed.
A time-honored concept is that healthy relationships fuel healthy living Read More »
St. Paul Pioneer Press // A week before last month’s presidential debates, when politicians’ rhetoric threatened deepening polarization, a movement to depolarize America called “Braver Angels” held its second annual convention. Equal numbers of Republican and Democratic delegates participated, 130 from each side and from every state, June 20 to 23 in St. Louis.
Harry C. Boyte: “We the People” – meeting polarization and other challenges Read More »
BlueRidgeNow // Herdersonville — It is often easier to see the opportunity we want than to see the opportunity we have, particularly when it is couched in the warlike fever of vitriolic language and the extremism of political polarization. Yet hidden in this mass of anger and vitriol is exactly where our opportunity, and our power, are to be found.
Hawk Newsome, President of Black Lives Matter New York, sits down with Ray Warrick, leader of the Cincinnati Tea Party, to discuss the origins of their movements, their personal stories,
In Conversation: Black Lives Matter and the Tea Party Read More »
The social media landscape may be the Wild West of political conversation. But if we have some basic ground rules, and make an effort to bring our best selves to the discussion, it’s possible to raise the level of our discourse, and maybe provide an example that can start to move the needle—just a little bit—in the larger online conversation.
Braver Angels co-founder and program architect Bill Doherty speaks with Kerri Miller of Minnesota Public Radio about Braver Angels and the challenge of ‘Depolarizing Within.’ https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/07/08/how-to-bring-out-the-better-angels-in-your-community
How To Bring Out the Braver Angels in Your Community (Bill Doherty on MPR News) Read More »
Braver Angels president David Blankenhorn discusses with Laura Flanders our belief that there’s still value in talking, and the ways we do it that actually seem to bring people together.
Listening to Our Braver Angels – The Laura Flanders Show Read More »
The Laura Flanders Show // Red, blue, rich, poor, country, city, left or right. Chances are you probably fall into one of those categories. And you may be quite happy where you are. The people of Braver Angels believe there’s still value in talking, and they’ve come up with a way of doing it that actually seems to bring people together.
The Laura Flanders Show- Listening To Our Braver Angels Read More »
NBC KARE-TV Minneapolis // It’s true we live in polarizing times. How can Republicans and Democrats talk to each other without shutting each other out?
Nonprofit aims to coach us on how to talk to each other again Read More »
MPR News// Are you wringing your hands over the political polarization we’re experiencing in this country? Are you egging it on among your kindred spirits?
How to bring out the ‘braver angels’ in your community Read More »
Greater Good Magazine // Focusing on shared identities is a valuable way for people in diverse societies to bridge their differences without shedding or suppressing what makes them different in the first place. Doing so allows us to come together with people who we previously imagined we had nothing in common with—which research suggests can open the door to greater empathy and cooperation.
Florida Today // “Civility is the hard work of staying present even with those with whom we have deep-rooted and fierce disagreements.”
That definition of civility by The Institute for Civility in Government stuck with me when I was doing research before launching FLORIDA TODAY’s Civility Brevard project in March.
Civility Brevard: Workshop will teach talking politics with people you disagree with Read More »
Mandy Connell brings her intelligence and wit to explaining US politics as a whole and our pop culture in general.
The Mandy Connell Show: Ciaran O’Connor- Braver Angels Read More »
John Wood, Jr. sings Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come at the Braver Angels National Convention
Listen to Ciaran O’Connor and John Wood, Jr. break down the political and racial divides alongside special guest, Chloe Valdary.
Pop-Culture and Polarization: with Chloe Valdary Read More »
The Post Star // Glen Falls — In our society today, it has become very difficult for people on both sides of the aisle to talk about their beliefs. We are afraid to voice our political opinions, because it could create a rift with family or friends. This has gotten way out of control.
KAMR // AMARILLO — Braver Angels, a national citizens organization, hosted a Red/Blue Workshop in hopes of reducing political polarization in Amarillo and in the nation. On Saturday, June 29, Braver Angels brought conservatives and liberals together so they could better understand each other beyond the stereotypes.
Tennessean // Despite the hateful and divisive rhetoric we hear on TV from our leaders, both local and national, and the toxic atmosphere we are reminded of daily, Americans are caring, warm and wonderful people. It does not matter where they come from, what their backgrounds are, what race they are or who they voted for.
Americans are better than our leaders’ rhetoric. A road trip showed me that. Read More »
The Post-Star // What is clear is that we need that type of civil discourse, the type of discourse that Braver Angels is trying to delivery across our communities.
The Federalist // ‘I don’t know at what point we moved from disagreeing with the argument to hating the person, and that scared me. I decided I have to do something,’ says this Braver Angels delegate.
This Group Got Black Lives Matter And Tea Party Leaders To Talk. Can The Rest Of Us? Read More »
Braver Angels was born in response to the crisis of polarization—a growing crisis that hampers government, destroys trust, degrades public discussion, fosters isolation, and harms personal relationships.
Pundits and activists on the left and the right are saying we cannot seek understanding with our political opponents without sacrificing our political goals. We disagree.
The Post-Star // Over the past couple weeks, Braver Angels held two information programs and one skills workshop at the library. More than 50 turned out for the three meetings. Each person at the meeting was asked why they were there. More than one talked about how the political divide had impacted family relationships.
Ciaran O’Connor and John Wood, Jr. recap their recent journeys across the country discussing depolarization and reconciliation, Ciaran’s interview with Ezra Klein, the values that bind Americans and John’s feelings on Memorial Day.
Recapping the Month: Ezra Klein, The Weave Project and more Read More »
USA Today // In the Trump age, political polarization in the United States has never been higher. Groups like Braver Angels are promoting civility to lower angst.
John Wood, Jr. delivers the keynote speech on day one of the Weave the Social Fabric Project conference, on race and the power of love as a social value to transcend our divides.
John Wood, Jr. speaks at the Aspen Institute’s #WeaveThePeople 2019 Read More »