The 7 Steps In Action

Braver Angels: Crossing the Red–Blue Divide

Braver Angels is a national nonprofit helping Americans bridge the political divide. In a time of heated partisanship, they bring conservatives and liberals together for honest, respectful conversations—not debates. In their signature “Red-Blue Workshops,” small groups of people who disagree politically meet face-to-face. Trained moderators lead activities that help people listen deeply, find common values, and better understand where others are coming from. Participants don’t try to change each other’s minds—they aim to build trust and understanding.

One of Braver Angels’ biggest challenges is attracting people who don’t already want to bridge divides. The model works best with those willing to listen, so the most polarized voices are sometimes left out. Still, for those who do take part, the shift is powerful: many leave surprised by how much they relate to “the other side.”

Since its founding, Braver Angels has grown into a national movement with thousands of participants and over 100 local chapters. Their programs are now being used in schools, churches, and even Congress. They’ve found that when people meet face-to-face, with empathy and ground rules, it’s still possible to disagree without being enemies.

StoryCorps' One Small Step: Listening Beyond the Divide

One Small Step by StoryCorps tackles political polarization by simply pairing two strangers—who disagree about politics—for a recorded conversation. The goal isn’t to debate; it’s to understand the person behind the opinions. In a guided, 50-minute talk, participants share stories about their lives, values, and what shaped them. Politics often comes up, but the real focus is on who they are as people.

This personal, story-first approach creates space for empathy. Participants regularly find unexpected common ground: shared family struggles, life goals, or even favorite hobbies. Many leave saying things like “I didn’t change my views, but I see the other side with more compassion.”

It takes courage to talk to someone you assume won’t like you. But with trained facilitators and strong ground rules, One Small Step has helped thousands overcome that fear. Since launching, the program has expanded across 40 states and even into Congress.

Listening, not arguing, can be a powerful political act. When people hear each other’s stories, walls come down, and stereotypes lose their grip. One Small Step proves that real connection is still possible, one conversation at a time.

BridgeUSA: Students Learning to Talk Across Differences

BridgeUSA is a group started by students who were tired of shouting and fighting on college campuses. Instead, they wanted real conversations—where people with different views could speak, listen, and learn from each other.

At BridgeUSA events, students talk about hard topics like race, climate change, or politics. But the goal isn’t to win an argument. It’s to understand where others are coming from. Trained student leaders help keep the talks respectful and honest.

At first, some students are scared to speak up. Others think talking won’t help. But many leave the events feeling heard—and surprised by how much they learn.

Now, BridgeUSA is on more than 60 college and high school campuses. Students say it helps them feel braver and more open to different ideas. They learn it’s okay to disagree—and even stay friends after.

The “Pledge Group”: Gospel-Based Racial Reconciliation in the Deep South

The Pledge Group began in Mobile, Alabama, where pastors, nonprofit leaders, lawyers, and businesspeople from different Christian denominations come together to confront the racial divide. The effort started nearly a decade ago, when two Black pastors and two white pastors asked themselves: what if racial unrest erupted in Mobile, as it had in Baltimore after Freddie Gray’s death? Instead of leaving the question unanswered, they gathered community leaders around a cramped conference table and began hard conversations.

Those conversations grew into a “pledge group”—named for a vow to reject the instinct to distance from those who are different. Participants share personal stories, listen deeply, and face the painful history of slavery and segregation in Mobile. 

The model has expanded into the Unify Project that equips churches nationwide with discussion guides and strategies. There have been challenges: some walk away when ideological differences cut too deep. Yet the most powerful outcome has been the new friendships forged across racial lines, showing that faith communities can lead the way toward reconciliation.

MetroMorphosis: Intergenerational Co-Leadership in Baton Rouge

MetroMorphosis, a community organization in Baton Rouge, is led by two co-CEOs nearly 30 years apart in age: millennial Sherreta Harrison and baby boomer Raymond Jetson. Their partnership challenges traditional nonprofit leadership models by rejecting the mentor–mentee or succession narrative. Instead, they share executive functions as peers, each bringing unique strengths rooted in their experiences.

Harrison pushes for direct, explicit conversations about race and equity, reflecting her millennial emphasis on calling things out. Jetson, shaped by the Civil Rights era, brings historical perspective and deep community credibility. Staff members say their leadership styles often surprise—Harrison sometimes plays the disciplinarian, while Jetson takes on a nurturing role. Together, they model how communities themselves are inherently intergenerational.

After eight years, their partnership has become a strength for the organization. By embracing intergenerational collaboration, MetroMorphosis has shown how nonprofits can share power, deepen trust, and better reflect the communities they serve.

Mississippi Freedom Movement: Building Fragile but Powerful Coalitions

In the 1960s, civil rights activists in Mississippi built an unlikely coalition. Black students, local Black residents, and white college students from the North came together to register voters, open Freedom Schools, and challenge the state’s all-white delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Their combined efforts drew national attention and pushed the Democratic Party to take stronger action on civil rights.

The coalition’s power came from its diversity. Local organizers spoke to poor Black families about how voting rights could improve daily life, while northern students framed the issue as a moral injustice to mobilize support on their campuses. This mix of perspectives and tactics created momentum that reshaped American politics.

Hello Neighbor: Welcoming New Neighbors in Pittsburgh

Founded in 2017, Hello Neighbor is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that helps refugee and immigrant families rebuild their lives in the United States. Since its start, the organization has supported more than 3,500 individuals from over 58 countries with housing, employment, health services, and cultural orientation. Its flagship mentorship program pairs newly arrived families with local Pittsburghers to provide social support and foster empathy across cultural divides. Families describe these relationships as becoming “like one family,” while volunteers gain a deeper understanding of their new neighbors.

The impact is striking. A 2019 study found that 97 percent of volunteers advocated for refugee issues after participating, 79 percent shared positive experiences with their networks, and nearly all reported building more diverse social connections. Refugees overwhelmingly felt welcomed, and volunteers noted reduced polarization in their communities. By centering belonging and dignity, Hello Neighbor strengthens Pittsburgh’s social fabric and shows how everyday relationships can make communities more inclusive and resilient.

ALL IN Initiative: Building Common Ground in Connecticut’s Naugatuck Valley

Launched during the pandemic by the Naugatuck Valley Project and TEAM Inc., the ALL IN Initiative set out to bring residents together across lines of age, race, faith, politics, and culture in one of Connecticut’s most conservative and economically challenged regions. Through storytelling and relationship-building, the initiative has created space for people who might not otherwise connect to find common cause in strengthening community life across the Naugatuck Valley.

Today, ALL IN has active resident leaders in 10 towns working side by side to confront pressing local challenges, from economic inequality and limited job opportunities to a childcare shortage, unaffordable housing, and racial disparities. Looking ahead, the initiative aims to expand participation, strengthen leadership development, and begin regional collaboration—laying the groundwork for broader civic renewal rooted in trust and collective action.