This Is Civity

My guest is Nathan Smolensky, Independent strategist and Author of the book Common Ground from the Ground Up: How rethinking politics can help us feel heard, heal relationships, and fix our democracy. This book offers mindsets and tools we can use to engage in more productive conversations and lay the foundation for positive societal change.

In this episode, we talk with April Ossmann, poet and independent editor, and author of WE… a collection of poems focused on bridging divides by exploring unconscious prejudices. In We, Ossmann hopes to change our perceptions to heal our families and friendships.

In this episode, we talk with Seth Pinsky…CEO of the 92nd St. Y in New York, a cultural stalwart in the city focused on convening people across difference, with the goal of helping everyone connect and be in community with each other. For more, go to 92ny.org.

In this episode, we talk with James Coan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of More Like US, a national organization that seeks to correct political misperceptions – helping people see that we’re not really as different as we sometimes think we are. Coan says the goal of More Like US is to help increase the scale of bridging efforts.

For more information and to check out the lesson plans and other resources, go to MoreLikeUS.org.

In this episode, we talk with John Paul Lederach – professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, focused on international peacebuilding. Lederach spent much of his career helping build peace in conflict areas around the world, and has written extensively on his experiences.

Together, we explore the importance of building relationships across divides and differences to achieve meaningful foundations for building lasting peace. We also discuss how we might apply these lessons here in the U.S. before polarization becomes sustained violence.

Of particular relevance to our current situation in the U.S. is Lederach’s Pocket Guide for Facing Down a Civil War: Surprising ideas from everyday people who shifted the cycles of violence.

To learn more about John Paul Lederach and peruse his writings, go to JohnPaulLederach.com.

In this episode, we talk with Angela Bradbery – Frank Karel Chair in Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism & Communications. Bradbery spearheads the annual Public Interest Communications Summer Institute — bringing educators, researchers, practitioners and others together to explore how to best communicate in the public interest.

Bradbery’s work in Public Interest Communications focuses on communicating and building relationships across divides to advance campaigns that help communities.

In this episode, we talk with Jennifer Leshnower, Bridging & Democracy Advisor at AmeriCorps.

Jennifer and I discuss the importance of bringing people together… and how relationship building through service, and looking outward from ourselves to see others, can help build meaningful relationships to tackle sticky problems and strengthen communities.

To learn more, go to americorps.gov.

In this episode, we talk with Ben Bain, volunteer Brick Yard leader for the Washington, D.C. area for the organization More Perfect Union. More Perfect Union seeks to strengthen communities through social connection, service, and civic engagement.

Ben is a veteran – and a dog lover – who wanted to find ways to weave connective tissue in his community. More Perfect Union allows him do this by working toward building relationships among people around him.

To check out MPU – and take the Coffee & Courage Challenge – go to MPU.US.

(Photo depicts MPU gathering)

In this episode, we talk with Michael McRay, experiential story coach, and founder of Becoming Restoried.

Michael helps others find and share their own stories, toward healing, reconciling, and connection. The stories we create have the power to connect or divide – and when someone does not have control of their story, it can be dehumanizing.

Michael helps people see both themselves – and each other – as human, which in turn connects us across divides, differences, and unknowns.

For more, go to BecomingRestoried.com.

In this episode, we talk with Mónica Guzmán, Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, and author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.

Mónica at first dedicated her career to connecting people across differences through journalism… but then moved into the bridging space to find a more effective way to bring people together in relationship.

Through it all, she has been driven by a deep curiosity about others and the stories that shape our lives and perspectives.