Braver Angels to host workshop, town hall to bridge political gaps during Bemidji stop
Apr. 23—BEMIDJI — The Braver Angels Reduce the Rancor Bus Tour will stop in Bemidji on Thursday, May 1, at the SouthShore Hotel on Lake Bemidji. This day-long visit will feature four events to help bridge political and cultural divides.
Braver Angels,
a national, nonpartisan organization, has a strong Minnesota base. The nonprofit aims to reduce political and cultural polarization without either side compromising its values.
Two of the offered events are designed for local community leaders and elected officials. These will come in the form of a skills workshop and a lunch gathering.
"The tour will offer a workshop for elected officials to enhance workability across divides," a release said. "A lunch discussion will be held on strengthening the community despite differences for elected officials and community leaders."
The other two events are free and open to the public —
registration is requested, but walk-ins are welcome.
The first public workshop is titled "Skills for Disagreeing Better" and will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m.
"This 90-minute workshop helps participants understand the values and concerns of those who differ from them politically and offers essential skills for communicating across differences and finding common ground when possible," the release said. "Participants will practice skills for communicating more effectively in the presence of disagreement."
The second public event will be a community town hall forum, entitled "How do we Find Community in Our Differences." Doors will open at 5:30 and the event will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Bill Doherty, University of Minnesota professor emeritus of Family Science and co-founder of Braver Angels, will speak during this event.
"In a time of deep cultural and political divides, building community across differences is challenging," the release added. "Participants will explore how to engage in respectful dialogue, find common ground without compromising values and strengthen relationships despite disagreements."
Bemidji is the penultimate stop of the tour and is one of seven Minnesota stops. A partnership between Braver Angels, the
Northwest Minnesota Foundation,
the
League of Women Voters
and area leaders helped form the opportunity. The McKnight Foundation and the Voigt Foundation contributed toward funding the tour. Discussions for a southern Minnesota tour in the fall have begun.
Those interested with more questions can contact
(218) 407-7266,
Kathryn.glez@gmail.com
or
mvoss@braverangels.org.
Registration is available at
braverangel.org.
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