In this episode, host Corey Nathan welcomes Liz Joyner, founder and president of The Village Square, a civic organization dedicated to bridging divides and fostering dialogue across political and cultural lines. Liz shares the story behind founding The Village Square, her passion for preserving democratic values, and her experience navigating political polarization with grace, humor, and tenacity. As dear friends and collaborators, Corey and Liz offer listeners a heartfelt and insightful conversation about the importance of disagreement, empathy, and genuine connection.

What You Will Learn:

How Liz Joyner built The Village Square to combat political divisiveness
The power of human connection and shared experiences in fostering civic trust
Key strategies for having meaningful conversations across ideological divides
Why now is a pivotal moment for preserving democracy and civil discourse
How personal stories and experiences shape our political views and actions

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:00] Introduction to Liz Joyner and her work with The Village Square
[00:06:00] Reflecting on her family’s military background and public service
[00:13:00] The key question: How can we engage across our differences?
[00:22:00] The role of The Village Square’s God Squad in promoting interfaith dialogue
[00:31:00] The psychological roots of tribalism and political polarization
[00:50:00] The threat to public humanities and the importance of civic institutions
[01:00:00] Liz’s favorite spot in D.C. and its symbolic value for democracy

Featured Quotes:

“We just need to do it. Reach out. Make the call. Share a meal. Be human.”
“When we see others up close, we see their good intentions. That’s where empathy begins.”
“Disagreement, done well, is the genius behind our democracy.”
“The genius of our system is that it relies on heterogeneity—on us learning from each other.”

Resources Mentioned:

The Village Square: villagesquare.us
The Constitution of Knowledge by Jonathan Rauch: www.brookings.edu/books/the-constitution-of-knowledge
Roger Herbert's Substack: https://rogerherbert.substack.com
The National Portrait Gallery: https://npg.si.edu

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