Polarization is fairly recent, right? 
Polarization has grown because of recent Presidents and their administrations, correct?
NO – polarization is a complex problem with many sources feeding its growth in our nation. Polarization has been steadily increasing for 40 years.
Americans are aware of how polarized our country is—Democrats, Republicans and Independents seemingly live in separate and divided worlds. The pandemic helped deepen this divide.
There is nothing wrong with disagreement in politics – in fact, it is important for a healthy democracy. The difference today – people tend to trust and associate only with people on their side, intensifying the many divisions between us . . .the difficulty to communicate with each other.
Who is Braver Angels?
Our organization formed in November 2016 to see if we could provide a solution to the growing division in our nation. Braver Angels is a bipartisan, primarily volunteer non-profit working to unify our divided nation. Our roots are in Ohio with the 1st Red / Blue workshop held in Cincinnati December 2016. The 2nd Red / Blue workshop, held in Lebanon March 2017, helped form the 1st Braver Angels Alliance here in southwest Ohio. There are 100 Alliance throughout the USA with three active Alliances in OH. The Greater Cincinnati Alliance and the Southwest OH Alliance serve this area.
What is Braver Angels Mission?
We bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic.
By bringing conservative, liberal, and independent Americans together into grassroots working alliances, we build ways to talk to one another, participate together in public life, and influence the direction of our nation. We help Americans understand each other beyond stereotypes and work to reduce discord through workshops, debates, 1:1 Conversations, and local engagement.
What Are Braver Angels Tools?
In October 2021, we received a grant to focus Braver Angels tools and training within a 40-mile radius of Cincinnati. What we soon discovered was there was significant interest and requests coming from civic organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and religious communities.
Braver Angels provides seven Skills & four Discussion Workshops to provide tangible ways to bridge the divide. Workshops have been hosted locally within the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Catholic communities. This has led Braver Angels to launch a national Faith Focused Initiative for our workshops.
EquaSion, a local non-partisan civic organization founded upon interfaith dialogue, hosted Braver Angels Polarization Impact on Your World Workshop in February. This workshop helps participants understand the sources that contribute to the polarization dividing us. With that understanding, we can then focus on how to continue to educate ourselves, build skills, and engage.
What Can We Do?
Polarization’s Impact of Our World – What We Can Do workshop held via Zoom or in-person. For further information, email Beverly Horstman, Ohio Co-Coordinator:
Visit the Braver Angels website for workshops, debates: https://braverangels.org/events/list
Braver Angels website: https://braverangels.org
Further additional local events / Alliance meetings, email, Kelly Zimmerman, Community Organizer: kelly@braverangels.org