Do you find yourself asking the question “How did we get here?”

Here’s another question for you: “What does it take to understand the behaviors that got us into this mess?”

Regular listeners of Our Voices Matter will likely conclude that the mess I’m referring to is the chaos, anxiety, and division in our country. And I am.

But that’s not necessarily what this week’s guest had in mind when she explored those same questions in her new book.

Tricia Brouk is an an award-winning director, producer, podcaster, and author, now releasing her third book, “Being Smart Is Stupid.”

The book’s intention is to help leaders in the workplace understand how an ego-driven approach leads to toxic cultures, burned-out teams, and unsustainable success.

Brouk nails it, sharing tools along the way to embrace an alternative leadership style that leads to better outcomes for everyone.

But the more I read, the more I realized how the nuggets of wisdom revealed in the book apply far beyond corporate boardrooms.

Toxic cultures can be found anywhere. A board room. A city council. A neighborhood association. A family. A country.

The root of the toxicity is often traced back to the leader.

What if your leadership style swapped being smart for being wise?

Seeking connection rather than feeding your ego?

What if you tapped into your Buddha nature?

And before you react and say this is all woo-woo, take a beat.

That’s actually one of the tenets of Buddhism, as Brouk so aptly explains based on her lifelong practice of Buddhism, and her implementation of its principles to help leaders find a more thoughtful approach to sustained success.

I have to say this is one of my favorite episodes ever, partly because Tricia and I had so much fun talking about all the things we have in common.

But the main reason I love this episode is because I think it can truly be helpful to each and every one of us at this precise moment.

Whether you’re a leader navigating a challenging scenario in the workplace, a family member dreading the Thanksgiving dinner conversation, or an anxiety-ridden citizen, like me, trying to find joy in the midst of seismic chaos, this episode is for you.

Watch or listen, and then do yourself a favor and buy the book.

Most people know Donald Graham as the former publisher of the Washington Post. These days he is Chairman Emeritus of Graham Holdings, a conglomerate whose operations include online, print and local TV news, among many other sectors.

He is also Co-founder of TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college scholarship provider to undocumented students.

When the state of Texas recently announced a requirement for all public colleges and universities to identify undocumented students, I figured Graham would have some thoughts on the subject.

I was right.

He readily agreed to an interview which was conducted August 6th on Substack Live. This podcast is a recording of that interview.

It’s part of a weekly segment called “All Eyes on Texas”, highlighting issues at the forefront in the Lone Star state that often have national repercussions.

With the non-stop news generated by the Trump administration 2.0, it’s easy for important topics to get lost in the shuffle.

This one is too important to overlook, and after listening to this conversation, I think you’ll understand why.

Keeping up with the Trump administration 2.0 is like drinking from a firehose.From dropping bombs on Iran — without Congress weighing in — to mass deportations by masked ICE agents, to DOGE taking a chainsaw to federal institutions — it’s a lot.A looming, ever present question: is any of it constitutional?Our first attempt at answering this question took place at a Civil Dialogues town hall in St. Louis, MO on March 6, 2025.Today’s podcast moves that conversation forward with two of the panelists, Jay Sexton, Director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, and Steve Davis, senior legal fellow at Pacific Legal Foundation and member of the Federalist Society.This was recorded the day before the U.S. joined Israel in its war against Iran.Engage in Civil Dialogue With UsAfter watching or listening to this episode, we hope you’ll join us for the next installment of “The People, The President & The Constitution: Your Questions Answered” on July 22nd.That same topic was so well received in St. Louis that we’ve decided to take it on the road to as many cities as will have us. Next stop, the Kansas City Public Library.We’ll talk about what’s happening in real time, how and why Americans must engage with each other and in our democracy, and the steps to move forward together for the future of the country. And, of course, we’ll address as many of your questions as possible.Jay Sexton returns as a panelist, along with Kathy Kiely, veteran journalist and professor at the University of Missouri.They’ll be joined by Woody Cozad, attorney and former chair of the Missouri Republican Party, and Quinn Sheppard, a 2024 summa cum laude Mizzou graduate with degrees in Constitutional Democracy and History.My Civil Dialogues co-founder, Jean Becker, will provide historical perspective, I will moderate the panel, and together we’ll facilitate audience Q&A.The town hall takes place at 6pm CST on July 22nd at the Kansas City Public Library. Register here. If you can’t attend in person, a live stream will also be available at CivilDialogues.us.Why Partnerships MatterJean and I could not do this work without the support of our partners. Thank you to the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy and the Kansas City Public Library for hosting our upcoming event. This is likely the first in a series of town halls we will do at the KCPL. Stay tuned for more on that.A big thanks to Missouri Humanities for hosting our St. Louis event. If you missed it, watch the recording here. It’s well worth your time.We’d love to take our road show to your part of the country. If you’re interested in partnering or you have a good lead for us, please reach out here.Finally, If you haven’t already, please opt-in to stay up to date on all things Civil Dialogues, subscribe to the podcast on Substack, share it with your friends, and let us know your thoughts and ideas. We want to hear from you.Your voice matters. Especially now…www.ourvoicesmatterpodcast.comwww.lorellemedia.com

Civil DialoguesThis podcast is devoted to empowering us all to better understand each other's differences...one story at a time. Emmy Award-winning journalist, Linda Lorelle, guides guests through insightful, unexpected conversations that reveal our common humanity. This show is not about politics per se; it is about finding a way to reclaim civility in the context of the contentious times in which we live, by sharing our personal and professional stories, in hopes that others might find a glimpse of themselves.

Government institutions dismantled. Federal workers fired by the thousands. The threat of mass deportations now reality. And the laws of the land now challenged by the president empowered with upholding them.

No surprise that Trump 2.0 has anxious Americans seeking clarity on the U.S. Constitution and its role in shaping our nation’s future.

On Thursday evening, March 6th, a national Civil Dialogues town hall will seek to provide some clarity as you are invited to voice your questions and concerns in a safe space, without judgment.

If you’re new to the Civil Dialogues community, you can check out our backstory here. It’s basically an extension and an expansion of the core mission of Our Voices Matter. Important conversations that remind us of our common humanity.

Today’s episode previews the conversation we’ll have at the .Zack Theatre in St. Louis, MO from 6 pm – 8 pm CST on March 6th. Livestream will also be available on YouTube and Facebook.

My Civil Dialogues co-founder, Jean Becker, joins me as today’s guest and future co-host as the year unfolds. Jean was chief of staff to President George H.W. Bush.

Going forward we will bring you deeper dives into the topics we cover at Civil Dialogues town halls across the country, including interviews with thought leaders, newsmakers and experts who can help us navigate the chaos.

Our panelists for the upcoming March 6th event exemplify the diverse voices you can expect: Jay Sexton, Director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy; Kathy Kiely, veteran reporter and Lee Hills Chair in Free-Press Studies at the University of Missouri; Stephen Davis, Contributor at the Federalist Society and Senior Legal Fellow at Pacific Legal Foundation; and Abby Ramirez, MU Senior majoring in Constitutional Democracy and Journalism. 

One thing to note: you will never see a sitting, elected official on our panels. They have the bully pulpit. Our forum aims to elevate the voices of the rest of us.

That includes you. If you haven’t already, please opt-in to stay up to date on all things Civil Dialogues, subscribe to the podcast on Substack, and share your thoughts and ideas with us. We want to hear from you.

We are grateful to the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy and Missouri Humanities for partnering with us for this first Civil Dialogues event of 2025.

If you happen to be in the St. Louis area, please register here to join us in person. If not, join the livestream on YouTube or Facebook.

Let your voice be heard. It matters.

Civil Dialogues Town HallDeeper Dive PodcastsJoin Us

Now that we know who will occupy the White House for the next four years, the interest in emigrating from the US has skyrocketed.

According to Reuters, Google searches for “move to Canada” surged 1,270% in the 24 hours after the polls closed on the East Coast Tuesday.

Similar searches about moving to New Zealand climbed nearly 2,000% while those for Australia jumped 820%.

And a former guest on Our Voices Matter has received so many inquiries for help about navigating the emigration process, she’s planning a LinkedIn Live event to answer them all.

Elizabeth Silleck LaRue and her husband emigrated from the US to Mexico in late 2022.

She is white. He is Black.

They were tired of feeling unwelcome in their own country, so they left in search of peace and autonomy.

The transition was not easy, but they have never regretted their decision. Especially now.

If you’re thinking of leaving the US to live in another country and want to know what it’s like, you might consider joining Liz’s LinkedIn Live this Monday, November 11th at 1pm CST.

In the meantime, take a moment to watch or listen to her story.

It’s one you won’t forget.

Search for Peace and Autonomy

Civil Dialogues was honored to host our first town hall on energy at the opening ceremonies of Houston Energy and Climate Week on September 9, 2024.

“We need to fight the changing climate, not each other.  We respect democracy, civil dialogue, diverse ideas, productivity, and pragmatism. ”

That part of HECW’s Unity Commitment, guiding the week’s events, is in perfect alignment with the mission of Civil Dialogues and this podcast.

And so is the ethos of this week’s guest, Theo E.J. Wilson, climate activist, actor, entrepreneur, poet, and host of “I Was There” on the History Channel.

His TED Talk on race in America has been viewed 18 million times.

After meeting and interviewing him on the panel, I needed more time to explore his provocative perspectives.

So I invited him to keep the conversation going and share it with all of you.

From climate justice to going undercover in the Alt-Right movement to the art of having a civil dialogue, nothing was off limits.

This is one you don’t want to miss.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Voices Matter Podcast
02:04 Theo Wilson: Activism Through Art

03:50 Undercover in the Alt-Right Movement
12:13 The Importance of Inclusive Dialogue
18:43 Facing Environmental Injustice
24:12 Understanding Fear and Hatred
32:12 The Vision for Rebirth Earth

In recent weeks, the topic of race surfaced in a particularly ugly manner when former President Donald Trump said Vice President Kamala Harris “happened to turn black.”

As a child, I counted the days until my next birthday. Most of us did, tired of hearing “you’re not old enough to do that.”

As American school children, we learned it by heart, and recited it every day.

What is driving the recent conflict on college campuses? One obvious factor is reaction to the Israel-Hamas War.But my guest this week isn’t sure it’s quite that simple. As CEO of the non-profit, BridgeUSA, 25 year-old Manu Meel is in constant contact with students on more than 70 campuses across the country.The organization helps facilitate conversations among college and high school students with idealogical differences.In the days and weeks following the October 7th massacre of Israelis by Hamas, Bridge USA heard plenty from its student members.“There was a lot of pain, there was a lot of confusion as to what to do on campus,” says Manu. “And then as the news cycle started going and as what I call the elite Twitter crowd went to play, and as people started to essentially lose sight of what had happened and focus on what’s the broader implication, what’s my tribe going to say and how do I make the most of this moment — I think then you saw that trickle down into campuses. “Tribal Politics on Campus Political protest on campus is nothing new. But America’s tribal politics have reached a fever pitch, finding a fertile home where the freedom to explore and express, typically a welcome right of passage, is now emblazoned with an asterisk.*Speak your mind at the risk of being demonized by “the other”.*Explore divergent points of view at the risk of angering your tribe.*Express your opinion at the risk of being cancelled, or worse..Glimmer of HopeIt’s no surprise that the tension on college campuses is a microcosm of the tension in America.But there is a glimmer of hope, Manu assures us, and it’s on these very college campuses.It’s just that we don’t often hear about it in the media.You’ll hear about it now as Manu helps unpack the nuances of this complex topic.This remarkable young leader kicks off the 6th year of Our Voices Matter, sharing thoughtful insight on the generation tasked with leading us into the future.One that will hopefully remind us how to have civil, constructive conversations with those who look and think differently than we do.A future where we celebrate and embrace our common humanity rather than blind allegiance to our tribes.www.ourvoicesmatterpodcast.com