How Braver Angels Began | David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, & David Lapp - Braver Angels

How Braver Angels Began | David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, & David Lapp

On the weekend of December 9, 2016, a small group of citizens—half Donald Trump voters, half Hillary Clinton voters—gathered in South Lebanon, Ohio, for an experiment. Could we talk with each other rather than at each other? 

Five years later, the co-founders of Braver Angels (David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, and David Lapp) reflect on that inaugural event and how it led to the birth of Braver Angels as we now know it.

Learn more and support our mission: braverangels.org/support-us

Twitter: @braverangels, @blankenhorn3, @davidlappoh

More to explore

‘It absolutely changed my life’: How a conflict-ridden ‘dirtball’ became a legendary bridge builder

Growing up in the eighties, his family moved all around the Midwest as his parents chased down steady, blue-collar work: factory jobs, construction, truck driving, whatever could pay the bills. “We were always poor,” Wilk said. And whether they were in Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, or Minnesota, he often found himself on the outs. “It didn’t matter which side of the tracks we were on,” he said. “It was always the wrong side of the tracks.”

Read More »

‘Braver Angels really helped me to see the humanity in people from the other side’: One high schooler’s journey to better political conversations

A native of Boulder, Colorado, Mia didn’t know many Trump supporters—and she was nervous to engage with them. “I was like, ‘Don’t they hate women? Don’t they hate black people?’” she said. “That was my initial belief because that’s what I had heard about people who voted for Trump.” But she quickly realized she was wrong. During the first Braver Lens session, Mia was able to connect with conservatives in the group and recognize their points of commonality. “When we met, they showed their pictures, and explained their life stories, and I was able to see where our values overlap,” she said. 

Read More »

1 thought on “How Braver Angels Began | David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, & David Lapp”

  1. My mother was a strong Trump supporter and she died July 5, 2016. My entire family became greedy and ejected me and then I decided I was going to vote for my mother even though I’ve been a Democrat most my adult life.

Leave a Comment

Braver Angels Support