Podcast
Our This Is Civity podcast features people who are building relationships to dismantle inequities and strengthen communities grounded in respect and empathy.
James Coan of More Like US on Taking Bridging Efforts to Scale
byCivity
In this episode, we talk with James Coan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of More Like US, a national organization that seeks to correct political misperceptions – helping people see that we’re not really as different as we sometimes think we are. Coan says the goal of More Like US is to help increase the scale of bridging efforts.
For more information and to check out the lesson plans and other resources, go to MoreLikeUS.org.
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with James Coan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of More Like US, a national organization that seeks to correct political misperceptions – helping people see that […]
February 10, 2025
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with John Paul Lederach – professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, focused on international peacebuilding. Lederach spent much of his career helping build […]
January 26, 2025
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Angela Bradbery – Frank Karel Chair in Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism & Communications. Bradbery spearheads the annual […]
January 16, 2025
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Jennifer Leshnower, Bridging & Democracy Advisor at AmeriCorps. Jennifer and I discuss the importance of bringing people together… and how relationship building through service, […]
November 19, 2024
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Ben Bain, volunteer Brick Yard leader for the Washington, D.C. area for the organization More Perfect Union. More Perfect Union seeks to strengthen communities […]
October 18, 2024
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Michael McRay, experiential story coach, and founder of Becoming Restoried. Michael helps others find and share their own stories, toward healing, reconciling, and connection. […]
October 18, 2024
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Mónica Guzmán, Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, and author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly […]
February 26, 2024
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with David Brooks, New York Times Columnist, and author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. […]
January 29, 2024
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we chat with Alexandra Hudson about her new book –The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves. Hudson explores the difference between politeness and […]
December 18, 2023
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we explore the importance of strong neighborhood and community relationships to the health of nations, and we discuss the fact that many neighborhoods in the U.S. don’t […]
November 10, 2023
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Riaz Patel, executive producer and director focusing on reality shows that depict people connecting and having positive transformations. Riaz created what he calls the […]
September 26, 2023
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we explore how “othering” has led to increased marginalization and vilification of people who are un-housed – and how civity can help counter this trend by helping […]
April 10, 2023
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we explore how engaging across our racial and class divides and cultivating solidarity can help bring us together to care for and nurture our democracy. My guest […]
March 3, 2023
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we explore a massive new study on improving the health of democracy. The Strengthening Democracy Challenge invited more than 30,000 people to engage with 25 interventions. The […]
February 17, 2023
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we welcome Dr. Jacqueline Font-Guzmán, vice president for diversity, equity, & inclusion at Eastern Mennonite University; and strategic vision director for the Center of Justice & Peace […]
July 11, 2022
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we welcome Graham Bodie, professor of integrated marketing communication at the University of Mississippi, and chief listening officer with the Listen First Project. As with Civity, the […]
July 9, 2022
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we speak with David Eisner, CEO of the nonprofit bridging organization Convergence , about the increasing role of bridging organizations in cultivating relationships across difference, and working […]
December 10, 2021
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with Josh Schachter – Founder & director of Community Share, a nonprofit that connects community resources, artists, organizations, and people to teachers, students, and schools. […]
October 3, 2021
Civity
Episode play icon
Welcoming Week is an annual event put on by the organization Welcoming America to support communities seeking to increase belonging among all members of their communities, including immigrants. The theme […]
September 6, 2021
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we explore the importance of bridging and relational infrastructure to achieving healthy communities. Our guest is Nang Mo Kham, Eisenhower Fellow & senior health specialist at the […]
July 28, 2021
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we explore the role of the public health department, and how civity practices can help local public health officials navigate differences and help residents feel heard and […]
June 10, 2021
Civity
Episode play icon
Episode play icon
November 16, 2020
Civity
Episode play icon
November 10, 2020
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, we talk with John Wood, Jr., national ambassador for Braver Angels, an organization also working to build relationships across the divides that fracture Americans – including red-blue, […]
October 13, 2020
Civity
Episode play icon
Community Church of Barrington seeks to have people in their community connect and relate across differences, and they have been hosting what are called Courageous Conversations in an effort to […]
May 28, 2020
Civity
Episode play icon
In this episode, Marnita Schroedl, CEO of Marnita’s Table, and Lauren Williams, Marnita’s Table’s Training Manager & Executive Administrator, discuss how to socially engineer equity. Marnita’s Table has been working […]
May 27, 2020
Civity
Episode play icon
Attorney and Louisville civic leader Tom Williams discusses the importance of cultivating connections in communities where difference can lead to deep divide, and the importance of putting people at the […]
October 31, 2019
Civity
Episode play icon
Rachel Peric, executive director of Welcoming America, visits the This Is Civity Podcast to discuss the importance of inclusion in communities, and how government and business leaders can lead the […]
September 3, 2019
Civity
Episode play icon
CFRA’s Jordan Feyerherm & Gladys Godinez join the podcast to discuss the relational and civity nature of the work they do to encourage inclusion and connection in rural U.S. communities. […]
July 17, 2019
Civity
Episode play icon
Library Director Derek Wolfgram and Library Services Supervisor Jenny Barnes talk about the Redwood City Public Library’s Human Library, which helps to bridge divides by allowing readers to check out […]
May 30, 2019
Civity
Episode play icon
Rabbi David Levinsky is Saidye Bromfman Rabbinical Chair at Temple Har Shalom in Park City, Utah. Nate Bagley is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints […]
January 16, 2019
Civity
Episode play icon
Stephanie Lepp, artist, strategist, and producer and host of the Reckonings podcast, discusses how she explores the ways we change hearts and minds, often by recognizing and transforming our own […]
December 18, 2018
Civity
Episode play icon
Jud Hendrix is executive director for Lean Into Louisville and project catalyst for the Global Human project. Jud has dedicated his life to encouraging and creating opportunities for engagement across […]
November 30, 2018
Civity
Episode play icon
Zach Bell and Ron Towns are co-founders and co-directors of Camp Common Ground. a summer camp that brings racially and economically diverse middle schoolers together to teach them about leadership, […]
July 2, 2018
Civity
Episode play icon
Kim Roth Howe, founding principal of Co-Creative Labs and TEDx Talk speaker on “Searching for Purple in a Red and Blue Time, was prompted by the 2016 election to devote […]
June 6, 2018
Civity
Episode play icon
Acts of dehumanization and humiliation are tools of war and submission. But, the flip side – the impact of offering dignity and acknowledging humanity, is less well studied. Claudia Cohen […]
May 30, 2018
Civity
Episode play icon
Stuart Chittenden is a lawyer by training, but he began to see the power of empathetic conversation on relationships and even his own outlook on life. He now focuses on […]
January 25, 2018
Civity
Episode play icon
This is Civity Radio talks with Kate Chance and Ameena Jandali with the Islamic Networks Group (ING). ING works around the country on education geared toward cultural literacy and mutual […]
October 24, 2017
Civity
Episode play icon
Andrew Hanauer, director of One America, discusses the work of his organization in the face of significant polarization among people in the U.S. and the importance of having people work […]
August 21, 2017
Civity
Episode play icon
Greg Baldwin, president of VolunteerMatch joins This is Civity Radio to discuss how a Civity Brush on BART profoundly impacted him and people around him, eventually ending up on the […]
March 8, 2017
Civity
Episode play icon
Jacob Hess is director of the Utah chapter of The Village Square and one of the collaborators of The All Sides Dictionary, which has been (and is being) written by […]
November 30, 2016
Civity
Episode play icon
Paul VanDeCarr is Managing Director and Co-Founder of Working Narratives. He has spent much of his career using storytelling to build relationships, make connections, build understanding, and communicate ideas. Paul […]
September 18, 2016
Civity
Episode play icon
Vivek Patil is head of outreach for the Arlington County Democratic Committee in Virginia. Vivek uses a relationship-based – or Civity-based – approach to building community. This is in contrast […]
September 14, 2016
Civity
Episode play icon
Marty Swaim, co-founder of Challenging Racism, discusses the importance of sharing stories and listening, even when it can be scary, uncomfortable, or frustrating. It is the only way to build […]
April 30, 2016
Civity
Episode play icon
Vincent Pan, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) SF, joins This is Civity to discuss the work of his community civil rights organization. CAA works to ensure that […]
February 12, 2016
Civity
Episode play icon
Liz Joyner, executive director of The Village Square, says the work of collaboration does not begin once there is a problem to be solved. To be successful, that work must […]
December 16, 2015
Civity
Episode play icon
Joan Blades, co-founder of Living Room Conversations, sits down with This is Civity Radio Show to discuss the importance of sitting down with people you disagree with to build empathy […]
December 9, 2015
Civity
Episode play icon
Urban environments such as San Francisco offer many activities, services, and amenities. But if people do not know about them or how to engage, they can feel isolated or cut […]
December 1, 2015
Civity
Episode play icon
John Esterle, co-executive director of The Whitman Institute, joins Civity co-founder Malka Kopell to discuss the critical role of philanthropy in support of projects that build relationships to help bridge […]
October 14, 2015
Civity
Episode play icon
Everyday Democracy Executive Director Martha McCoy discusses how we can address issues of privilege, social justice, and equity through Civity-building. (NOTE: This podcast cuts off after 23 minutes) […]
October 7, 2015
Civity
Episode play icon
Civity co-founders Malka Kopell and Palma Strand join us to discuss their work, why they decided to create Civity, what they hope to accomplish, and what Civity is working on […]
September 15, 2015
Civity
Search Results placeholder