It takes a special form of courage to keep engaging with people in our lives whose views appall us. Ernest Hemingway called courage “grace under pressure.” We live in a pressurized time, when courageous citizenship requires real emotional work.

The 2026 Braver Angels National Convention will be held from June 25th to 28th in none other than Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of America, which will be ringing in its 250th anniversary just a week later.

Powerlessness is paralyzing. After the assassination of Charlie Kirk—like that of Melissa Hortman—many Americans feel powerless against violence and the erosion of civil liberties. You don’t have to share these fears to know that right now, all of us fear something. Be part of our movement to build a house united in America. Now is the time to remember your power.

Read the full speech by Braver Angels CEO Maury Giles given at the National Conference on Citizenship explaining the vision behind Braver Angels’ new program, Citizen-Led Solutions.