Braver Angels 2025 tour
Bemidji

Reduce the Rancor Minnesota Bus Tour

(Worthington, Willmar, Kerkoven, Fergus Falls, Moorhead, Bemidji and Brainerd)

April 24-May 3, 2025

Four Events for Bemidji and Surrounding Areas
Thursday, May 1, 2025

SAVE THE DATE!

Local citizens in Bemidji and surrounding areas are working with Braver Angels Minnesota to offer several events in your area. Begun in 2016, Braver Angels is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit with a particularly strong base in Minnesota dedicated to reducing unhealthy polarization without either side compromising its values. BA offers proven methods and strategies that people can use immediately to forge better relationships. By using these tools and supporting efforts to reduce the rancor, we can strengthen our communities and our democratic republic.   

Questions? Kathryn Gonzalez, kathryn.glez@gmail.com or Melinda Voss, state co-coordinator, Minnesota Braver Angels mvoss@braverangels.org.

Local Sponsors include Northwest Minnesota Foundation and League of Women Voters as well as local Braver Angels members     

Managing Difficult Conversations with Constituents and Colleagues Workshop
For elected officials (Space is limited.)
Thursday, May 1, 9:30-11 a.m., Northwest Minnesota Foundation, 201 3rd St NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

Register by Monday, April 28

In a time when norms of civility and compromise have broken down, this lively and interactive 90-minute workshop offers elected officials and public administrators a way to build additional skills for managing conversations when constituents or colleagues are frustrated, angry, or locked in their viewpoints. Led by a national Minnesota-based Braver Angels leader, the workshop includes four specific skills and guided practice around common scenarios that elected officials encounter every day. The focus is on one-to-one conversations rather than large public meetings. The goals are for you to be able to:

• Show people who disagree with you that they have been heard.

• Find areas of commonality or agreement when those are present.

• Share your view in a way that is likely to be heard by the other person. 

There is no charge for this workshop, which has been conducted around the state for the last several years after being endorsed and supported by the Minnesota School Boards Association, the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota Association of Townships.  

Leadership Luncheon on Bridging Divides in Today's World                 
For elected officials and community leaders (Space is limited.)
Thursday, May 1, 11a.m.-12:30 p.m., Northwest Minnesota Foundation, 201 3rd St NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

Register by Monday, April 28

Please be our guest at lunch with other community leaders for an interactive session led by a national Minnesota-based Braver Angels leader about how we can head off the forces that divide and instead focus on bridge building in the years ahead. Nearly all Americans agree that we are too divided. Polarization started at the national level and has spread to local communities and even families. 

Skills for Disagreeing Better Workshop

For the general public and  especially Braver Angels supporters
Thursday, May 1 , 1-2:30 p.m.    
SouthShore Hotel  (formerly Hampton Inn) 1019 Paul Bunyan Dr S, Bemidji, MN 56601

Registration requested; walk-ins welcome

The Skills for Disagreeing Better workshop helps participants understand the values and concerns of those who differ from them politically and teaches essential skills for communicating across differences and finding common ground when possible. You will learn about the values and concerns of the other political side and practice skills for communicating more effectively in the presence of disagreement.  Goals include:

• To deepen understanding of the values and concerns of people who differ from you politically

• To learn skills for listening in a way the other person feels heard

• To learn skills for sharing viewpoints in a way the other person might hear even if they disagree

A Braver Angels Conversation:

How Do We Find Community in Our Differences?

For anyone curious about bridging divides in families, among friends and community members

Thursday, May 1, 6-7:30 p.m., (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.) 

SouthShore Hotel (formerly Hampton Inn) 1019 Paul Bunyan Dr S, Bemidji, MN 56601

Registration requested; walk-ins welcome

In a time of deep cultural and political divides, building community across differences is challenging. In this 90-minute interactive session, participants will explore how to engage in respectful dialogue, find common ground without compromising values, and strengthen relationships despite disagreements. Join Dr. Bill Doherty, University of Minnesota professor emeritus of Family Science and co-founder of Braver Angels.  Doors open at 5:30 with light refreshments. Program begins at 6 pm.