Events & Programs
Featured Event
Missed the in-person event? View the recording here.
THURS APRIL 27, 7:00PM-8:15PM ET
The Westport Library, 20 Jesup Rd, Westport, CT
Join us on April 27th at The Westport Library for a moderated, in-person panel discussion: Bridging Our Differences: How to Have Curious Conversations. Connecticut Public's Lucy Nalpathanchil talks with Mónica Guzmán and Wilk Wilkinson of Braver Angels about their work building bridges across differences. They share strategies everyone can use. The panel discussion will be followed by questions from the audience.
Guzmán, a liberal, is Senior Fellow at Braver Angels and the author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. Wilkinson, a conservative, is a member of Braver Angels' We The People's Project, and host of the podcast, Derate the Hate.
Connecticut Public’s Civility Initiative focuses on ways to build stronger communities by connecting residents to conversations that foster understanding.
The event is a partnership between Connecticut Public, the Braver Angels Connecticut Alliance, The Westport Library and the Hearst CT Media Group.
Local Alliance Activities
Book Club Series
4 THURSDAYS, 7:00-8:30PM ET (Zoom)
2/16, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 2023
Our first four-session Book Club series will focus on I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Time (Benbella Books, 2022) by Mónica Guzmán, Director of Digital & Storytelling at Braver Angels.
Newcomers & Volunteers
2ND WED, 7:00PM-8:00PM ET (Zoom) Sept to June
Tired of the toxic divisions tearing our country apart? You're not alone. At this Intro for Newcomers & Volunteers, learn how we're bringing together citizens from across the political spectrum to bridge the partisan divide, and how you can help too.
7:00PM ET — Part 1: For newcomers & new members interested in learning about Braver Angels and our upcoming events to bridge the partisan divide. Feel free to stay for Part 2 also.
7:30PM ET — Part 2: For members interested in volunteering, locally or nationally. Feel free to attend Part 1 also to meet and greet newcomers.
Core Skills Workshops
One of the most important efforts of Braver Angels is our Skills workshops, offered either in-person or via Zoom. Several of our workshops are also available as a self-paced eLearning Course, which can be taken alone or as preparation for the in-person or Zoom-based workshop. See below for links.
94%
In surveys of those who've attended our Skills for Bridging the Divide workshop, 86% feel they can set a constructive tone when starting conversations with those of the other political side; 88% feel confident in expressing views so the other side can hear them; and 94% believe they can listen so those on the other side feel heard.
Skills for Bridging the Divide
There's a lot of stress these days among family members and friends who are divided politically, and the current polarized public conversation doesn't help. Learn skills for respectful conversations that clarify differences, search for common ground, and affirm the importance of the relationship.
Find one ⧉
On-Demand Option:
Take the 40-minute e-course now! ⧉
Depolarizing Within
Much of today’s polarization is driven by how we talk with like-minded people about those on the other side. Too often, we stereotype, dismiss, or ridicule our fellow citizens who support the other political party, its leaders, and its policies. Become more aware of your "inner polarizer.” Learn methods for disagreeing without contempt and ridicule.
Find one ⧉
On-Demand Option:
Take the 40-minute e-course now! ⧉
Skills for Social Media
Social Media posts are often highly polarizing. In this skills workshop, learn how to improve the culture of posts and conversations in social media as a constructive alternative to the polarized and judgmental exchanges that dominate the current discourse. This can inspire more productive conversations and even lead to joint action with people of all political leanings.
Find one ⧉
On-Demand Option:
Take the 40-minute e-course now! ⧉
Special Skills Workshops
Being Red in a Blue Environment
Intended for “red” participants—learn safe and effective ways to communicate your conservative values and beliefs in environments where liberal ideas are assumed to be correct—and where conservative people may be seen as ignorant, misguided, or even immoral.
Find one ⧉
Depolarizing Conversations About Race & Public Policy
A skills workshop for difficult but necessary conversations between white Americans that seeks to improve the culture of conversations about race and provide a constructive alternative to the polarized and judgmental exchanges that dominate our current discourse. Learn skills for talking about race in an inquisitive, non-judgmental way.
Find one ⧉
Families & Politics
Family relationships are becoming casualties of our toxic polarized environment: nasty political arguments, avoiding each other, even cutting off lifetime relationships. Learn strategies and skills for handling family political differences in a constructive way. Preserve important family bonds while staying true to your values.
On-Demand Option:
Being Blue in a Red Environment
Intended for “blue” participants—learn safe and effective ways to communicate your liberal values and beliefs in environments where conservative ideas are assumed to be correct—and where liberal people may be seen as ignorant, misguided, or even immoral.
Facilitated Conversations
Red/Blue
The classic Red/Blue workshops bring together a small, evenly divided group of conservatives and liberals, or “reds” and “blues,” for a series of exercises designed to help participants clarify disagreements, reduce stereotyped thinking, and discover common values.
Common Ground Single Issue Exchange
In the Common Group workshop, an evenly divided group of "reds" and "blues" takes a deep dive into a problem like climate change, electoral reform or abortion. Participants talk about their connection to the issue and their opinion on solutions. They conclude with jointly and unanimously held Points of Agreements on values, concerns and policies. A great follow-up to the Red/Blue workshop.
Debates, 1:1's, & More...
Debates
If you haven’t attended a Braver Angels debate, get ready for a new experience. Our special parliamentary format encourages everyone to speak or ask questions, insures civility in disagreement, and strives for learning and better understanding for all. Unlike other workshops, debate participants are not associated with Red or Blue, but with Pro or Con.
1:1 Conversations Across Difference
Following a structured conversation guide and process, two people on different sides of a divide (red/blue, generational, urban/rural, or race/ethnicity/culture) connect in two 1-hour conversations, emphasizing storytelling, listening, and learning rather than declaring or debating.
College Debates
This civil debates program for college students includes intra-classroom, intra-college, inter-college, and national formats.
Film Discussions
Participants watch a selected movie, then meet online with others who are similar to or different from them to discuss it.
Podcasts
“The Braver Angels Podcast brings you face to face with leading voices from across the divide alongside remarkable Americans you did not know existed. Experience a movement to reignite the spirit of America and defeat the forces that divide us. ”
And More...
The full set of programs and events offered by Braver Angels and by our many local alliances can be found on the Braver Angels national website and events page.
Recorded Events & Podcasts
The Braver Angels YouTube Channel includes recordings of our national debates, video podcasts, America's Public Forum series, a documentary about Brave Angels, and more.
Sample Debate: “Resolved: America is a Racist Nation”
On July 15th, Braver Angels sought an answer to one of the most charged and challenging questions facing our country today. Is racism embedded in our institutions, our culture, our American story? This debate brought a panel of passionate voices together for an honest conversation about the state of our nation’s values and systems.
Sample Podcast Episode: “Can We Talk About Abortion?”
In this special all-women roundtable edition of our podcast, two Red and two Blue Braver Angels leaders get passionate, personal, and curious about what led them to hold opposing views on one of the toughest political dilemmas in America: abortion.