MóNICA GUZMáN

Last month at the Braver Angels National Convention, I got to do something I love: chair a community debate. The topic? Whether the U.S. legislature should be the most powerful branch of government.

"Happiness" is the last thing many of us expect to find on a call with a stranger from the opposite political side. But that was exactly what Axel Bouchon and his team were hoping to spark.

How do you stay close to people who won’t share your worldview? Can love exist while someone feels rejected? And can you invest in the relationship without condoning the other’s convictions?

For most of human history, offensive speech was equal to violence, and saying the wrong thing could get your tongue chopped off. Today, we aim to use words instead of violence. But what do you do when those words really hurt?

With political tensions at a new peak, the pressure to take a stand — or keep the peace — can be intense. But how do you know the difference between the move that feels right and the one that is right?

The other night here in Cape Town, South Africa, I turned to one of the most extraordinary teachers I’ve ever met and asked her a question that had been tickling me for days.

In two days I’ll be traveling somewhere I’ve never been and can’t wait to learn from — South Africa.

One day when I was six, my teacher told me to go to a “drawer,” and I had no idea what she meant. I had just moved to a new school — a new country — and was still learning the language. When I repeated the mystery word...

Not long ago I saw a poster that stopped me. "The only thing we have to fear,” it read, “is how easily I can make you afraid."

A couple weeks ago, I had one of those simple, profound moments with a friend that left a mark.

Curiosity is a muscle. And today — only if you’re up for it — I have a challenge to help you build it.

“Disagreeing in public should not be a death sentence.” I heard a fellow bridge builder say those words a few days ago and they haven’t left me since.

Because of this weird work I do, I sometimes find myself dipping deep into a conservative-dominated conversation, then deep into a liberal-dominated conversation — or vice-versa — always coming out a little stunned.

I’ve had some amazing conversations this month with the likes of brilliant Ivy League students and passionate pluralism pros. But none were as memorable as the one I had with July...

It’s been an intense couple weeks since the new administration rolled in, and in addition to this wild idea ⬆️ I know inspired at least one person to actually call their representative (YES!), I’ve got three quick things to spark your curiosity...

For someone who goes on and on about staying curious, I haven’t made a lot of time to read books. Until now. I just finished one by one hell of a bold thinker — the sociologist Musa Al-Gharbi.

Hey there friend, The Obama Foundation picked “pluralism” as the theme for its 2024 Democracy Forum, and I was humbled — and challenged! — to be invited to speak. Watch my talk (just 6 minutes) See a photo from a moment I’m not about to forget So many of my heroes in political bridging were there, too: Manu Meel of BridgeUSA, Eboo Patel of Interfaith America, Layla Zaidane of the Future Caucus, and more. If you don’t already follow their work, go check them out! See ab

These days, most of my thoughts around curiosity, ending divisiveness, and creating community have been going straight into my podcast, A Braver Way, and I'd love to start sharing them with you! So without further ado... let's dive into our latest podcast: 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

Hello! Congratulations! And thank you so much for this amazing honor, what in the world, this is still not quite real – I have my husband and two kids here just to make sure I don’t think I’m dreaming later – thank you. What a thing. And from a community I know is asking what it means to be open, to be curious, at a time where that can feel risky, scary, and wrong. Let me tell you a story I heard some years ago that, when I do the work that I do, is never far from my mind. So

Hey friend, It occurred to me the other day that I’m learning constantly from some very thoughtful, curious, and hard-working friends whose views span the political spectrum, and (where are my manners?!) I have completely neglected to introduce them to you. So here are a few fine folks to get to know. I’ll let you all take it from here. 💛 April Lawson April is the architect of Braver Angels Debates, which has the most successful structure I have ever seen — or more like