Here’s the bad news about civic renewal: It will not come easily or quickly. Toxic divides won’t be dramatically reduced because of one person or a dramatic election result. Renewal of America’s civic culture will require enormous effort in every state of the nation.
Now the good news. Everyone can make a difference. Participation in renewal requires neither money nor fame. It begins with all of us. Locally and often through one-on-one conversations. These personal encounters can change hearts and minds.
Our guests are Braver Angels volunteers Maryanne Colter and Chauncey Williams. Both of them embrace civic renewal in their communities.
“So much of our politics today is ‘I just want to win’, but we’re not getting anything done because we can’t talk to one another,” says Maryanne, who serves as state coordinator for Braver Angels in Illinois.
At workshops and other events, she works to physically bring opposite sides together in the same room. “This is where the magic happens, when we can sit across the table and treat people as human beings.”
Chauncey Williams was honored recently at the Braver Angels Convention in Philadelphia for what he’s doing in Colorado. His unique project is called “Chats in the Park”.
Chauncey visits parks in the Denver area, where he sets up a poster that says “what’s on your mind” along with two chairs next to him: One for Chauncey and the other for anyone who’d like to have a one-on-one conversation.
Chauncey’s chats often change minds, including his own. “It’s been an interesting journey for me,” he says. “I’ve often been fascinated and humbled by realizing my own limitations in knowledge, and having that revealed.”
“It’s been both an uncomfortable and also fun part of these conversations.”
Both of these interviews were featured in earlier episodes of “How Do We Fix It?” Here are to our longer podcasts with Chauncey and Maryanne.
Learn more about Braver Angels workshops and other activities.
“How Do We Fix It?” is hosted by Richard Davies, and produced by Miranda Shafer. We get frequent help from Maury Giles, Gabby Kearns, and Wilk Wilkinson. Please review and subscribe to our frequent episodes where you listen to podcasts. Thank you.
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