Braver Angels members Chrissy Koach and Tom Cook are Trump voters who were at the January 6 protests on Capitol Hill. They join Braver Angels co-founder David Lapp to share their first-hand accounts of that day, and their thoughts on how we can move forward together. 

Loretta Ross is an author, academic, and radical Black feminist who currently teaches courses on human rights and white supremacy at Smith College. She believes deeply in the value of empathetic conversation -- "calling in" -- versus shaming, humiliating, or publicly "calling out" those with whom we disagree (or indeed those whose views we may find appalling). But she also believes there's a limit. Professor Ross joins Ciaran O'Connor for a wide-ranging discussion on racial politics, right wing media, and when to draw a line in the sand.

2020 was a year of pain, isolation, and deep uncertainty. But it was also a year of hope, perseverance, and a reminder that -- for better or worse -- we're all in this together. In the final episode of 2020, Ciaran O'Connor joins April Lawson, Randy Lioz, and Alma Cook to reflect on a year that broke our hearts, tested our mettle, and ultimately reaffirmed our commitment to the work of Braver Angels.

What is most challenging about getting people of color to participate in Braver Angels? What impact does member diversity have on our activities and mission? In this episode of the Braver Angels podcast, Carlos Hernandez interviews four Angels of Color about these questions and more. The guests share thoughts and stories about crime, social justice, reparations, trauma, and the dimensions of who “owns” one's problems.  Featured are Dr. Prof. Marilyn Hosea (member), Lisa Forbes (CO state coordinator), Peter Bell (member and retired regent of the University of MN), and Thomas Reeves Jr. (retired IT professional and blue chair of Angels of Color). Moderator Carlos Hernandez is the Angels of Color red chair. Learn more about the Angels of Color Advisory Council and task forces: BraverAngels.org  Twitter: @braverangels

Lee Drutman, senior fellow in governance studies at New America, is a careful analyst of American political institutions. In his latest book, Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America, he arrives at the startling conclusion that America's two-party system is problematic not because it constrains voters' choices but because it creates incentives that drive Americans apart, polarizing them beyond reason. On this episode of the Braver Angels Podcast, Ciaran O'Connor and Luke Nathan Phillips interview Drutman about his book and the current state of the American political parties in the aftermath of Election Day 2020. They discuss how party factions in American history once provided leavening for our two-party system—and why they don't work quite as well as they used to. They also discuss the vast array of incentives elected officials and party leaders have to attack each other instead of working together, whether future presidencies and congresses will be subject to the same forces the last few have been, and the unique capacity of the American system to reform itself through trial and error.  Learn more about Drutman’s work: Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop (book), LeeDrutman.org Twitter: @leedrutman, @ciaranjoconnor, @braverangels

In this episode of the Braver Angels Podcast, Alma Cook invites activist Susan Bro and singer-songwriter Becca Stevens to reflect on the 2017 Charlottesville rally. The women are connected through the death of Heather Heyer, Susan's daughter, who was killed while counter-protesting the Unite the Right demonstration. The event sparked something new in both women: in Susan, a new charitable foundation, and in Becca, a song from her last record called "Heather's Letters to Her Mother." Learn about Susan's work: www.heatherheyerfoundation.com Learn about Becca's work: www.beccastevens.com Twitter: @beccastevensbsb, @hearalma, @braverangels

Bill Ottman is the founder of Minds.com, a new community-owned, "open source" social media network that prizes privacy, transparency, and open exchange. Unlike Facebook, which mines your data to target you with ads, Minds does not monetize its users' data and offers people financial credits based on the content they share. In this episode of the Braver Angels Podcast, Ciaran and Bill discuss how the structure of major social networks like Facebook has fueled political polarization, toxified our public discourse, and stripped away our privacy -- and how Minds.com seeks to become a more vibrant, democratic alternative that opens the door to a less radicalized user base and a healthier form of debate.

Shelby Steele has been one of America's most important Black conservative voices for more than a generation. His recent documentary film "What Killed Michael Brown?" critiques the mainstream narrative surrounding the death of Brown, a tragedy which spark protests for social justice across America.    But does Steele see any legitimacy in the new antiracist movement? And what does it mean to be Black in America? John Wood, Jr. puts forward the questions in this deep diving conversation on politics, culture and race in America. www.braverangels.org Twitter: @JohnRWoodJr @braverangels Facebook: @braverangels Instagram: @braverangels

Cheyenne Donaghy, a junior at Detroit International Academy for Women, Autumn Brown, an Oklahoma State University aspiring Ph.D. candidate, and Keyshawn King, a Stanford University Class of 2022 member) tackle questions-of-curiosity. Which ones? Their vision, influencers, and cancel culture. They even probe the adult Angels' musings about celebrities' influence. Interviewing them are Braver Angels' Donna Lee, David Joseph, and Carlos Hernandez.

"It's been an emotional rollercoaster." Ciaran O'Connor and John Wood, Jr., the original hosts of the Braver Angels Podcast, come together to discuss the 2020 election, its aftermath, and how we can begin to heal the nation, confront multiple crises at once, and build a House United in 2021 and beyond.