Civil Dialogue
Welcoming Interactive 2025: Lessons from Detroit and the Power of Local Leadership
In May, I attended Welcoming America’s Welcoming Interactive conference in Detroit, where over 900 leaders gathered to explore what it takes to build communities where everyone feels they belong. Set in a city shaped by industrial booms, disinvestment, and powerful local activism, the conference was an opportunity to share… Read More
Embracing Two Cultures: Our Thanksgiving Story
Thanksgiving is a relatively new tradition in my life, but one that has marked the start of one of my favorite love stories. Even though I’ve lived in the U.S. for 22 years, the holiday always marked an opportunity for my mother to take a break from the demands of… Read More
“We’re All In!” Localities Celebrate and Commit to Making Their Communities Welcoming to All
By: The Center for Inclusion and Belonging, State and Local Initiatives Over the last week, communities in 49 U.S. states across eight countries and three continents declared “We’re ALL In!” as a part of Welcoming America’s 12th Annual Welcoming Week. More than… Read More
Immigrants Are Making Ohio Great. Let’s Talk About That.
20 years ago, Springfield, Ohio, had a problem. Like many communities in the Rust Belt, it seemed like good times were a thing of the past. Once a manufacturing hub, the city had been losing population for decades, with rising unemployment and falling incomes. City leaders set about turning things… Read More
Talking Turkey 2023: Kindness on the Subway
Over the last few weeks, as I reflected on writing our annual Thanksgiving blog post, I struggled to find the right words and message. During years past, this post offered best practices for engaging in dialogue across the days’ festivities. And although that recipe has been loved by many, I… Read More
Talking Turkey: How to Appreciate Another View at the Dinner Table
Irrespective of your politics, no matter your football allegiances, the joy of Thanksgiving binds you with millions of others who are also celebrating togetherness. Some of us might gather with family and friends, while others might celebrate as a community of neighbors. Some will enjoy menu-staples, such as turkey and… Read More
Key Ingredients for a Civil Thanksgiving Dinner? Empathy and Active Listening
This Thanksgiving, it’s fair to say many of us are experiencing a nagging malaise or even an existential crisis. The future feels unpredictable, even precarious, and a cascade of environmental and human crises have left us shaken. At the same time, we are confronting the stark realities of persistent injustice… Read More
Why Has Immigration Become Such a Divisive Issue?
Why has immigration become such a heated issue for those on the right and the left? It’s because many Americans have—without realizing it—sacralized their values and beliefs associated with immigration. This explains in part why the debate has become uncompromising and moralized. What can we do about it? Answers can… Read More
New Leadership Strikes a New Tone for America
America turned a corner today. We not only installed new leadership, but these leaders set a distinctively new tone for the next four years. A president is a political and policy leader, but he or she is also our conductor-in-chief, coordinating the timing and performance of government agencies and setting… Read More
National Public Service Campaign Reminds Americans That Belonging Begins with Us
Our nation has been stuck in a dangerous “us v. them” mindset for some time now. We also live in a moment where many Americans are exhausted by the politics of division and are looking for an alternative. There is no doubt we need a new way forward where we… Read More
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