Here’s what we know about political violence in America: it’s getting worse. Here’s what we think we know about why: polarization, social media, extreme rhetoric. But what if we’re looking at this all wrong?

Rich Harwood has spent the last 30 years in the places many of us have written off—communities fractured by poverty, loss, and division. What he’s found in those places challenges our assumptions about where progress begins. It’s not happening in Washington. It’s not playing out on cable news. It’s emerging, quietly but powerfully, through a reawakening of what Harwood calls civic culture—the often-invisible fabric of how we live together, trust each other, and shape the future we want.

Rather than simply addressing polarization as a political problem, Harwood argues we’re living through something deeper: a crisis of belonging. His book, The New Civic Path, maps out a way to reverse that trend—not by starting with grand unifying movements, but by starting small, building momentum, and restoring belief in what’s possible together.

In this conversation—recorded just a day after a harrowing act of political violence—Harwood offers a rare kind of clarity. Not a feel-good story, but a practical invitation to shift how we work, lead, and rebuild. For anyone seeking a way forward in a time of fracture, this episode offers something even more vital than answers: it offers a way to begin.

Links and Notes

• The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation
• Rich Harwood's book "The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation"
• Reading, Pennsylvania community report
• Mission Forward Podcast previous episode with Dr. John Paul Lederach

• (00:00) - Welcome to Mission Forward

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This episode is supported by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. At their Frank Lloyd Wright–designed campus, Wingspread brings leaders and communities together to turn dialogue into action. Learn more at johnsonfdn.org or wingspread.com.

This episode is also brought to you by Positively Partners. When HR starts to slow down your mission, it’s time for a better solution. Positively HR is the fully outsourced HR partner that understands nonprofits—and acts like part of your team. Learn more at PositivelyPartners.org.