This week, we’re going to re-share the most personally vulnerable interview Mónica’s recorded for this podcast. As the election creeps closer and closer, we’re hearing daily from listeners who struggle to talk politics with family on the other side. In this special episode first aired in season 1, Mónica — a liberal — joins the two people she’s argued with most — her conservative parents — for a candid conversation about one family’s struggles with a political divide that cut right through their own home. Looking back on the biggest disagreements that tested their relationships, like Moni’s pro-choice stance on abortion and her parents’ votes for Donald Trump, they open up about the strategies that keep them talking.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to push for change in politics, it can feel like you have to choose either activism or dialogue. But what if that’s a false choice? Following up on last week’s conversation with Shira Hoffer, a Jewish rising senior building bridges at Harvard, we hear from Jadd Hashem, a student leading Arab-Israeli dialogue at the University of Texas at Austin who is also a proud Palestinian-American peace activist.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shira Hoffer, a Harvard student behind an anonymous text hotline for dialogue on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, joins political commentator April Lawson. They dive into the challenges of bridging political divides and the importance of fostering curiosity through questioning. Shira shares her journey in creating a safe space for dialogue post-October 7 attacks, while Lawson emphasizes the role of empathy and humility in tough conversations. Together, they explore how understanding differing perspectives can promote informed discussions amidst societal turmoil.

“You could be wrong.” It’s a phrase that greets students in Bill Jordan’s high school classroom, and poses a challenge to everyone with a political opinion these days: Since no one is right about everything, how do you stay open to shifting your own beliefs? Bill opens up about his own journey, then we hear from listeners who tell us how they’ve changed their minds on some tough issues, like gay marriage, abortion, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it was about foreign policy, the economy, or the best route to the grocery store, chances are you have changed your mind about something. What happens in your brain when you do, and what does that teach us about how we can change someone else’s mind on a political issue? Mónica talks with David McRaney, a leading voice on the science of persuasion, about how minds change — or don’t! — and why. Then Mónica and April open up about some times they’ve changed their minds — and challenge each other on how all this stuff does or doesn't apply when we encounter people with the darkest ideas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Say hello to David Kaufman, a conservative from South Carolina who’s made a serious habit of talking politics with liberals — with both sides learning loads as a result. Then join us in celebrating some of the people in YOUR lives who make tough disagreements worth having.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Free speech - Free people - Free food. That was a tagline for a cross-partisan discussion forum Sam Rechek started as a freshman at the University of South Florida. In this episode, Sam shares what he learned from those tough weekly conversations, like the importance of humor and humility, and making sure every student on campus can be heard, no matter their politics or their discussion persona. Then Monica and April unpack the lessons from Sam’s experience and talk about how the divisions on college campuses - both real and imagined - shape our own perceptions of politics.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political violence and heightened rhetoric has turned up the intensity of an already tumultuous election season, adding to the fears and uncertainty on both the Left and the Right. Is there a way to stay grounded through this moment? We are joined by Dr. Bill Doherty, a “citizen therapist” who offers insight to help understand not just our own fear, but the fears held by the other side, and shares concrete strategies people on all sides can use to give voice to our deepest concerns without succumbing to the most dangerous tendencies of our divided nation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it the facts that get in the way in our politics, or our stories? Baratunde Thurston is a renowned comedian, activist, and PBS host who knows a lot about how the stories we tell about ourselves can either unlock our civic power... or make us forget we even have it. We’ll zoom in on two unforgettable times Baratunde crossed big divides and what those clashes can teach us, and we’ll hear his four pillars of “how to citizen” — as a verb, not a noun — to help us wield that power daily. Then Monica and April close us out with a clash of their own, unleashing their own stories about citizenship to see where their different politics lead them to think differently about the concept and the many issues that surround it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Braver Way was in Kenosha, Wisconsin, when hundreds of liberals and conservatives experienced the most polarizing event of the election season… together. Organizers prepared for the worst. What actually happened changed the game for everyone.  Submit a question: If you’ve found yourself mulling on a concern or reflection as you’ve listened, turn it into a question and share it with us in a quick email to abraverway@braverangels.org.  Subscribe: If you like what you’ve heard, hit subscribe, and leave us a 5 star review!  Follow us: Instagram | X/ twitter | TikTok | Youtube   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.