In this episode we have a variety of stories about what it means to be a good neighbor in America today. Our wish for this country is that all neighbors could hear one another, and see each other as decent people, talking about complicated issues, with respect and thoughtfulness. This episode is exactly that.

In this episode you will be hearing from our neighbors answering questions about our Civic Rights and Responsibilities. And as Joshua brings up in the opening, it’s hard to have any conversation about who we are as citizens without also discussing our relationships. This is an episode where we discuss our relationships with the law, and with one another. How do we navigate all that in a good way?

As we begin this episode, I’ve been thinking a lot about what kinds of circumstances create healthy dialogues, and which ones don’t. We can all think of those moments when the conversation went off the rails. It is much rarer to encounter moments when we hear each other out and things seem to end on a constructive rather than destructive note.

To me that’s what makes My Neighbor’s Voice so special. For the next half hour, you’ll get to hear people just like you, trying to make sense of, and mend our world. We are holding more and more forums each month and we would love to hear your voice at one of them. Also, as you listen to this podcast, please help us by rating it, reviewing it, and sharing it with your friends. Our country needs to hear these neighbors speaking to each other in a good way. May this recording serve to remind us of the goodness that we all still possess.

At each My Neighbor’s Voice event we take turns answering universal community questions. More importantly, we listen without any kind of commentary. For the next half hour, you’ll get to hear some of these responses.

We had no idea what January would bring this year so we decided to keep our focus simple and with questions just about Health and the Environment. We hope you enjoy these selections and thank you for listening. 

In this episode you'll hear several stories that hone in on what it means to be an American at this time and place. Race plays prominently in this dialogue as well as questions like, "What is it like to be an immigrant?" "How should we treat death?" and "What do you think of our public schools?" 

In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing highlights of our online forums that took place in October 2020. Obviously, a lot has happened since this recording was made, including our Presidential Election. And despite all that has changed and hasn’t change, the timeless of these voices remains. For example, just because Joe Biden has been elected, doesn’t mean that people will suddenly agree on much, if anything.

Yet, in trying to create a more perfect union, I found so much hope in the answers you are about to hear. For example, we have a dialogue where two participants talked to each other about what pro-life and pro-choice means to them. Despite having very different views, they shared very reasonable dialogue. In this way, it brought out the best in America.

You’ll also get to hear touching stories about discrimination, what inspires us, and what happens when somebody who is legally blind visits the dinosaur museum. Don’t go anywhere, this is going to be a great 30 minutes of storytelling.

We wanted to share with you the fact that dialogues can still happen with differences and dignity. We hope you enjoy these incredible voices. 

In this episode, you'll hear how a Christian Missionary struggles with helping the homeless, a college grad and an Israeli share what they think drives racism and violence in the world, and a young black man describe how the prison system has affected nearly every male in his family.  Be ready to have your mind blow and heart moved. 

At My Neighbor’s Voice we practice listening as a generous and powerful act. In these episodes, you will hear participants answer universal community questions by sharing their stories and experiences. While one participant answers, everybody else listens without questions, commentary, or discussion.  Also, since questions are never repeated and there is never an opportunity to respond, we can relax and listen a little more deeply.

By listening, we work to diminish fear and confusion and to come away from this experience more connected to each other despite what might be our genuine differences. We hope that you enjoy listening to these forums as much as we do.

My Neighbor’s Voice is a non-profit organization and our forums are made possible by previous participants who wanted to pay it forward. If you can support our work, or want to participate, please visit www.myneighborsvoice.org