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In Episode 303 of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with poet and author April Ossmann to explore how poetry can become a powerful tool for bridging America’s political divide.

April is the author of We: Poems (Red Hen Press, 2025), a collection devoted to healing polarization through empathy, metaphor, and shared humanity. A recent member of Braver Angels, she brings a unique voice to the civic renewal movement — one grounded not in rhetoric, but in soul.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How poetry fosters understanding where arguments fail
• The difference between compromise and “synergizing”
• Why civility is strength — not weakness
• Family estrangement and political division
• Listening with intention
• Seeing past ego to soul
• April’s “Peace Hymn for the Republic”

If you care about democracy, dialogue, and restoring decency in public life, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

Learn more about April Ossmann in the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com.

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

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In this episode of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with award-winning filmmaker Michael Premo to discuss Homegrown, his powerful documentary exploring the motivations behind individuals drawn into the Proud Boys movement in the years leading up to January 6.

Rather than reducing people to stereotypes, Homegrown examines how community, belonging, grievance, and identity often drive political radicalization. Wilk and Michael unpack the role of outrage entrepreneurs, the public planning behind January 6, and why America’s deepest problem isn’t left vs. right—but toxic polarization itself.

This conversation challenges listeners to look beyond headlines and ask harder questions about how we got here—and where we go next.

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In this episode of Derate The Hate, Wilk sits down with Bill Woodson, founder of Conversations Across The Aisle, to explore what local bridge building looks like in a deeply polarized moment.

Bill shares the story behind launching the CATA Project, a community-based effort focused on respectful dialogue, shared humanity, and restoring civic trust—starting locally, with aspirations to grow nationally.

Together, Wilk and Bill discuss:

• Why toxic debate often shuts down understanding
• How polarization erodes hope and personal agency
• The power of safe, facilitated dialogue spaces
• Separating people from the positions they hold
• Why community-level efforts matter more than national shouting matches

This is a conversation about choosing courage over outrage—and building something better, one table at a time.

🔗 Learn more and connect with Bill Woodson by getting the full show notes at: www.DerateTheHate.com 

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In this milestone 300th episode of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson is joined by Maury Giles, CEO of Braver Angels, for a wide-ranging conversation on toxic polarization, trust, and the responsibility of citizens in a divided America.

Maury shares his journey from a 35-year corporate career into full-time civic engagement, and why he believes courageous citizenship—not outrage or withdrawal—is the antidote to our current crisis.

Together, Wilk and Maury explore:

• Why polarization thrives when citizens give up agency
• The importance of red voices in the depolarization space
• How trust is rebuilt locally, not online
• Why disagreement is essential to a healthy constitutional republic
• What it means to renew the American pledge of shared responsibility

This episode marks not just a podcast milestone—but a call to action for citizens who still believe this country is worth the work.

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In Episode 299 of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with peacebuilder, author, and professor Chip Hauss to explore what it really takes to bridge divides in a polarized world.

Chip shares insights from his decades of work in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, including why addressing root causes matters more than fighting symptoms, and why meaningful change starts locally — not federally. Together, Wilk and Chip unpack common myths about political polarization, discuss the importance of personal agency and courageous citizenship, and explain how curiosity can transform conversations across difference.

This episode is grounded, hopeful, and deeply practical — a reminder that peacebuilding isn’t the work of elites, but something each of us can practice every day.

Topics Covered

• Peacebuilding as a daily practice
• Root-cause problem solving vs. symptom chasing
• Local action and community engagement
• Personal agency and courageous citizenship
• Finding joy in conversations across difference
• Lessons from Peace Building Starts at Home

Learn more about and connect with Chip Hauss in the full show notes at www.DerateTheHate.com.

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In a culture shaped by outrage, many people choose silence—not because they agree, but because speaking feels too risky.

In this episode of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson is joined by journalist and author Katherine Brodsky to discuss cancel culture, self-censorship, and the growing consequences of letting loud, unreasonable voices dominate public discourse.

Katherine is the author of No Apologies: How to Find and Free Your Voice in the Age of Outrage. Drawing from personal experience and historical perspective, she explains why courage is often rooted in moral clarity, not bravado—and why authenticity matters for both individual well-being and societal progress.

Together, Wilk and Katherine explore:

• Why self-censorship is becoming normalized
• How social media amplifies extremism
• The real dangers of government censorship
• Why people must be allowed to express “wrong” ideas to learn
• How authenticity leads to healthier relationships and communities

A thoughtful, grounded conversation about free speech, responsibility, and the quiet power of finding your voice.

Learn more about and connect with Katherine Brodsky by visiting the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com.

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In Episode 297 of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with Tom Fishman—media executive, bridge-builder, and advisor to the ProHuman Foundation—for a wide-ranging conversation on how depolarization can scale.

From the failures of outrage-driven media to the need for a powerful “air game” in the bridging movement, this episode explores how storytelling, shared identity, and citizen-led solutions can rebuild trust and belonging in American life.

Key Topics Covered

• Why depolarization needs a “killer app”
• The shift from left/right polarization to top/bottom resentment
• How media algorithms reward outrage—and how to counter them
• The loneliness crisis and the human need for belonging
• Why bridge-building must produce real, visible results
• The inspiration behind The Great Boys Book

Guest
Tom Fishman is a founding partner of the Builders Movement, an advisor to the ProHuman Foundation, and a former media executive at MTV and Facebook.

Learn more about and connect with Tom Fishman in the full show notes for this episode at DerateTheHate.com.

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In Episode 296 of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson is joined by Malka Kopell and Palma Joy Strand, co-founders of Civity, for a deeply human conversation about rebuilding trust, strengthening communities, and rediscovering our civic muscle.

At a time when institutional trust is declining and polarization feels overwhelming, Malka and Palma share why relationships — not arguments — are the true foundation of social change.

Together, they explore:

• Why storytelling builds trust across difference
• How listening can be a courageous civic act
• What “the conversation before the conversation” really means
• Simple, everyday actions that restore agency and belonging

This episode is a reminder that small human moments — when multiplied — can change the culture around us.

Learn more about Civity and connect with Malka & Palma by checking out the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com

We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.

The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we’re thinking about it and navigating the challenges.

Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.

Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

Why does outrage feel powerful — yet leave conversations broken in its wake?

In Episode 295 of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson is joined by world-class speaking coach and author Robert Begley to explore why empathy-rooted rhetoric is far more effective than outrage-driven communication.

Together, they unpack how conversations escalate, why persuasion works better than force, and how curiosity and listening can disarm hostility before it turns into conflict.

This episode offers practical tools for navigating difficult conversations — without sacrificing conviction or humanity.

Guest: Robert Begley
Book: Voices of Reason (Amazon Bestseller)

Key Topics

• Why outrage kills dialogue
• Persuasion vs. rhetorical force
• Defusing hostile conversations
• Empathy without agreement
• Listening to understand, not respond

Learn more and connect with Robert Begley in the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com.

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In Episode 294 of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson is joined by author and speaker,  Julie Lavender Le Doux for a powerful conversation about performance anxiety, childhood experiences, fear, shame, and personal growth.

Julie shares how early experiences shaped her fear of being seen, how anxiety spread into multiple areas of her life, and how confronting fear became the path toward healing and courage. Together, Wilk and Julie explore how avoidance temporarily feels safe—but ultimately deepens fear—and why courage is a learnable skill.

They also discuss Julie’s imaginative Amazings book series, which uses metaphor and storytelling to help children and families process trauma, propaganda, conformity, and fear—while cultivating wonder, critical thinking, and resilience.

Key Topics

• Performance anxiety and childhood experiences
• Fear, shame, and avoidance
• Courage as a learned skill
• Healthy vs. avoidant boundaries
• Storytelling as a tool for healing
• Raising courageous, curious kids
• Imagination, wonder, and truth

Learn more and connect with Julie Lavender Le Doux in the full show notes for this episode at DerateTheHate.com.

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.