Dear Newsletter,
In 2020, in the wake of the election, I was desperate to find an organization that was addressing the pervasive amount of political polarization breaking out in my home state of Michigan. I heard from so many people who were no longer talking to old friends, or seeing their own children, because politics had torn them apart. I was in it too.
I wanted to know: Is anyone actually doing something about this? So I Googled it. That’s how I found and eventually began working for Braver Angels.
While there are so many incredible organizations in this space, the thing that set Braver Angels apart for me was the fact that it was grassroots. Braver Angels is powered by volunteers: everyday people who believe they have a role in bringing out the best in our country. And seeing our volunteers in action—giving their time and energy to bring together individuals who never dreamed they’d be in a room together—has buoyed me through all the political uncertainty.
It’s not hard for me to find reasons to despair—reasons to be fearful and anxious about what will happen next—but if there’s one thing that I’m certain about, it’s that this nation is filled with good, generous, hard-working people. Braver Angels taught me that. You taught me that.
April is National Volunteer Month, a time when we recognize the contributions of volunteers. Because here’s the thing: Volunteer work isn’t rainbows and sprinkles and cupcakes and sunshine…
Being a volunteer is hardcore.
It’s organizing and emailing and setting up meetings and booking venues and putting together Eventbrites and obsessively checking your registrants. It’s running though your checklist at 3AM and reaching out to people for favors and quelling the churn of nerves in your stomach and just hoping people show up. It’s driving all over and following up and building relationships and sometimes covering out-of-pocket expenses because you really just want to make it work.
Volunteer work can be tough, but when it all comes together, and you see the magic unfolding, the gears shifting and the trust building, it’s simply electric.
Braver Angels is lucky enough to have thousands of volunteers across the country who have made an impact in their communities and beyond. But before I close, I just wanted to take a minute to highlight one of them.
Donna Murphy was an early Braver Angels volunteer who was involved in the original bus tour and served as the Blue co-chair of the first convention. She’s impacted Braver Angels in a number of ways, but her greatest achievement has been starting 1:1 Conversations, an incredible program that pairs two people across differences to better understand one another. It’s one of our most successful programs: a whopping 97% of participants find common ground with their partner. Not only that, but there are people who have been talking to their partners for years after their first conversation.
To honor Donna’s contributions, we wanted to ask long-term participants about the impact 1:1 Conversations has had on them. Here’s what they said:
“The model Donna created has been a helpful starting point for all of my cross-differences conversations; whether specifically related to BA or not. It is the awareness of an intentionality about getting to know a person on a more general level before diving into political matters. This has, in turn, helped me in my family conversations. I am a pastor and a teacher, who does a lot of this sort of connecting by nature. Donna’s work has given my skills more focus and new horizons.” — Peter Pierson, Red
“Having a 1:1 partner has made a huge difference in my ability to listen to differences and respect ideas that once seemed foreign or created upset in me. Although I have met with other people in different 1:1 meetings, my relationship with Dave Kaufman has been ongoing for over five years and I consider him a dear friend. When October 7 happened in Israel, he called me since I was his only Jewish friend and he wanted to hear how I was. He touched me deeply. Recently, when the Iran war began, I called him since he is my only good friend that was in the military and I wanted to hear what he thought of it.” — Cheryl Brown, Blue
“It is a bit hard to put into a few words just how much the 1:1 Conversations have helped me. It has helped me realize where my beliefs and biases originate, to appreciate and respect those who have very different beliefs. It has helped me realize just how easy it is to label and lump people with different beliefs than mine. Talking to people removes the label ‘those folks’ once you listen to what they believe and why. I have talked with 31 people from all over the country and have learned from each and every conversation.” — Dave Kaufman, Red
“I love the 1:1 conversation I've been in and it's been going on for 4 years! It's changed me to be more open to others' opinions, perspectives, and perceptions, and how they differ from mine. And also, how can I practice being curious instead of trying to change their minds to believe what I believe. It's also helped me identify the 'news' I get in my silo and how it differs from the 'news' my 1:1 partner gets in hers. It's eye opening seeing what is being sold to us. How the narratives differ based on what each side is promoting. I am forever grateful to have this ongoing conversation with a person on the other side of the aisle. It has been absolutely necessary for me in navigating this time.” — Sam France, Blue
So thank you, Donna, and thank you all Braver Angels volunteers. You are the embodiment of courageous citizenship in action, and I’m grateful to be in this work with you.
— Gabbi Kearns, Director of Communications, Braver Angels
Coming Up
📊 Take a poll. Do you have opinions about how we use the Red/Blue dichotomy at BA? We want to hear them. On May 5th, the Debate Team will host an online national debate on the future of our Red/Blue framework. We need your help choosing a resolution to structure the debate! Please take this poll to weigh in on the possible resolution statements. (And if you're new to Braver Angels and are unsure what these resolutions mean, join us on May 5th to learn more!)
🔔 Join us in Philadelphia. On America’s 250th Anniversary—and Braver Angels’ 10th Anniversary—we will convene on hallowed ground in Philadelphia to renew the pledge the founders took 250 years ago. Our 2026 National Convention is a call for courageous citizens to deepen their commitment to democratic principles and strengthen their bonds with each other. Join us for inspiring speakers, interactive workshops, stirring debates, and many more exciting programs. Learn more and submit your application to attend through our
2026 National Convention website.***
Find shared values. Launched at the BA National Convention in 2024, the Citizens Commission on Immigration aims to help Americans with differing views on immigration find common ground. Learn about what we’ve accomplished so far and bring your questions to our next update.
✅ Sign up Citizens Commission on Immigration Update Call
Tuesday, April 14 at 5 p.m. ET
Restore trust. At this month’s session, learn how restorative processes work with conflict by creating connection, increasing mutual understanding, and facilitating shared problem-solving.
✅ Sign up Forum for Braver Angels Mental Health Professionals
Wednesday, April 15 at 58 p.m. ET
Start from within. It’s easy to slip into dismissive or stereotypical language about the other side of an issue without realizing it. Join this workshop to learn how to stop doing so.
✅ Sign up Depolarizing Ourselves
Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m. ET
The binary approach. Is the Red/Blue dichotomy at the heart of BA’s success, or is it a limitation we’ve outgrown? Does it erase the viewpoints of those who don’t fit in either category? Join our national debate and tell us what you think about this critical issue.
✅ Sign up National Debate: Red/Blue at BA
Wednesday, May 6 at 8 p.m. ET
Our volunteer forum. Are you a BA Debate volunteer? Curious about becoming one? Looking to gain wisdom or to pass on what you've learned? If so, join our monthly Debate Volunteer Forum.
✅ Sign up Debate Volunteer Forum
Wednesday, May 13 at 8 p.m. ET
Great debates. If you want to bring a debate to your BA Alliance, one thing you'll want to put extra time into is your resolution. Learn how to choose the right wording and pose great questions.
✅ Sign up Braver Angels Resolution Development Workshop
Thursday, May 28 at 7 p.m. ET
“I’m right!” What happens when two people in a conversation have “I’m right!” syndrome? Read this author’s proposed prescription for the diagnosis and treatment of this widespread malady.
📖 Read How to Diagnose and Treat “I’m right!” Syndrome
Secure voting. Read about how this Supervisor of Elections used BA principles when he met with local citizens to assure them of the integrity and safety of the election process.
📖 Read Alan Hays promises ‘safe and secure’ Lake County elections
Common ground. The attendees at a Minnesota immigration debate last week were pleasantly surprised by how much consensus there was among the audience members.
📖 Read Locals Hash Out Immigration Views at Braver Angels Dialogue
A respectful exchange. A chance encounter with a stranger on an airplane offers lessons for all of us in how to disagree without fighting.
📖🎧 Read and listen Can You Disagree Without Fighting? Building Bridges, Not Battles!
Tribes and silos. Right now is a difficult time to convince Americans to come together and listen to the other side. How can we be hopeful at a time of so much anger, division, and despair?
🎧 Listen to Why Braver Angels Workshops Bring Surprise and Hope
Building bridges. BA Ambassadors meet people where they are. At meetings and events across the country, they try to convince skeptics that rebuilding civic trust is a worthwhile cause.
🎧 Listen to Braver Angels Ambassadors. Barbara Hancin and Ron McFarland
Beyond contempt. These authors say you can hold strong convictions and speak clearly about what matters to you while making space to understand those who disagree. What do you think?
🎧 Listen to Passionate convictions without the poison of contempt
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