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What We do
We Bring Reds and Blues Together
To Talk, Listen, and Understand
Who We Are
Launched in 2016, Braver Angels is a national citizens’ movement to bring liberals and conservatives together at the grassroots level — not to find centrist compromise, but to find one another as citizens. Through workshops, debates, and campus engagement, Braver Angels helps Americans understand each other beyond stereotypes, form community alliances, and reduce the vitriol that poisons our civic culture.
Braver Angels Debates
A Braver Angels Debate is a different kind of debate in which a group of people think together, listen carefully to one another, and allow themselves to be touched and perhaps changed by each other’s ideas. When done well, everyone walks out a little closer to the truth, more aware of the validity in opposing views, and with tighter community relationships.
1 Encourages the passionate and energetic expression of ideas
2 Allows for the expression of nuance and ambiguity
3 Allows people to admit that they are not really sure which side they support when that’s the case
Red/Blue Workshops
Red/Blue Workshops bring together 5-7 Republican or conservative-leaning citizens and 5-7 Democratic or liberal-leaning citizens for a day of structured conversations. Here’s what you can expect to get out of a workshop:
1 Better understand the experiences and beliefs of those on the other side of the political divide
2 Find areas of commonality in addition to differences
3 Learn something that might be helpful to you and to others in your community and the nation
Skills for Bridging the Divide Workshops
Skills for Bridging the Divide can be done with any size group and any mix of red (conservative) and blue (liberal/progressive) participants. This workshop does the following:
1 Provides you with the knowledge of what it takes to have constructive, non-polarizing conversations between people who disagree politically
2 Gives you the chance to practice the skills to have these conversations
3 Motivates you to have these conversations with people in your social network
Depolarizing Within Workshops
Much of today’s polarization is driven by how we talk with like-minded people about those on the other side. Too often, we stereotype, dismiss, or ridicule our fellow citizens who support the other political party, its leaders, and its policies. This workshop teaches participants:
1 How to be more aware of their own "inner polarizer
2 How to be critical without demonizing, dismissing, or stereotyping large swaths of the population
3 Strategies for intervening constructively in social conversations with like-minded peers when these conversations veer into contempt and ridicule for people who hold other political views
Families and Politics Workshops
Family relationships are becoming casualties of our toxic political environment. Learn skills for handling family political differences in a constructive way, while remaining true to one’s values and political beliefs. This workshop gives participants:
1 A deeper understanding of why family differences over politics are uniquely challenging
2 Insight into the common roles that family members play in political conversations
3 Strategies and skills for dealing with family political differences in a constructive way
Become A Braver Angel
Braver Angels Alliances
Braver Angels Alliances are local groups of people who have attended a Braver Angels workshop, have become dues-paying members, and want to help unify America and promote better public policy. Alliances have red/blue co-chairs and prioritize having no more than a 60/40 split in red and blue membership. Here are some typical activities:
1 Sponsor workshops, skills training and debates in their local community
2 Have in-depth discussions about public policy issues
3 Socialize with each other through potluck dinners, movie nights, etc.