Beyond Us vs. Them: Depolarizing Through Dialogue

How do we stay connected and keep working together when we see important issues differently? That question is at the heart of Beyond Us vs. Them: Depolarizing Through Dialogue, a free fall series hosted by Braver Angels and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley.

Participants will practice listening with curiosity, speaking honestly, and working through disagreement while respecting one another’s humanity. These skills support the everyday work of civic organizations and help build the relationships, trust, and shared understanding that strengthen our community.

Braver Angels leads a national, cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to help Americans engage across differences and contribute to a healthier civic culture. The three-part series begins Sunday, September 20, with a special service and documentary screening:

Better Conversations Across Differences
Sunday, September 20

10:30 a.m. — UU service featuring guest speaker Barbara Hancin
11:30 a.m. — Refreshments
12:00 p.m. — Screening of Braver Angels: Reuniting America (50 minutes)

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley
536 Ouray Avenue, Grand Junction

Barbara Hancin, educator and Co-Lead of the Braver Angels Ambassador Program, will explore how curiosity, dialogue, and shared purpose can help people engage across differences and work together.

Following the service, we will screen Braver Angels: Reuniting America, a 50-minute documentary that follows eight Democratic-leaning and seven Republican-leaning Americans as they move through a Braver Angels Red/Blue Workshop, from initial skepticism to a more profound understanding and empathy. You’ll get an inside look at how a Democratic voter went from threatening to cut off relationships with Trump voters to becoming dear friends with one-and how a Republican voter moved from disdaining progressives to taking co-leadership with one in a movement that now spans the country. The film was directed by four-time Emmy Award-winner Jim Brown and produced by musician Peter Yarrow.

Additional workshops will be held on October 18 and November 14.
Depolarizing Ourselves - Sunday, October 18, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Families and Politics - Saturday, November 14, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.