Events

Braver Angels workshops are typically free events as part of our mission to depolarize America. Braver Angels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. We invite you to consider a gift to Braver Angels; all donations are tax deductible.  Your support will allow us to offer more workshops and debates with the ultimate goal of uniting America. To donate to Minnesota Braver Angels, go to Support a Braver Angels Field Organization - Minnesota.

Minnesota events are listed below, as well as some national events. To find additional national events, visit the Events Calendar on the national Braver Angels website. The national BA events calendar offers in-person and online events and can be searched by date and location. Most Registration links go to Eventbrite, a service that lists events and manages registrations.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES IN MINNESOTA

Sept. 21 - Depolarizing Ourselves - Eden Prairie

Monday, Sept. 21    6:30-8 p.m.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church
13600 Technology Drive

Eden Prairie, MN 55344

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3. Braver Angels does not ask for a donation if the participant is making one to their faith organization.

Polarization is fueled by how we talk about those on the other side of an issue. Too often, we ridicule, dismiss, or stereotype our fellow citizens. When Braver Angels addresses “polarization,” we are not referring to healthy disagreements over issues or philosophy. We are addressing how we regard and talk about large groups of people -- people who happen to be on the other side of the political aisle.

Participants will learn:

• How to be more aware of their own “inner polarizer”

• How to be critical without demonizing, dismissing or stereotyping large swaths of the population

Who Can Attend?

Anyone interested in examining their own inner polarization and learning strategies to disagree without condemning or ridiculing others.

*Tickets are Free, Donations Help As a spam prevention measure, you must use promo code BRAVER during registration to secure your spot in the workshop. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3. Braver Angels does not ask for a donation if the participant is making one to their faith organization.

Questions? Contact Melinda Voss, mvoss@braverangels.org

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org.

Sept. 21 - Who's Minding the Store -- Understanding Fraud in Minnesota and What Citizens Can Do About It – Woodbury

Monday, Sept. 21, 2026  7-8:30 p.m.
North Presbyterian Church
2675 MN-36, North St. Paul, MN 55109

Register

When reports of fraud make the headlines, accusations fly. Are government agencies failing to protect taxpayers? Is the problem a lack of oversight, weak enforcement, or political finger-pointing? What reforms would actually make a difference?

Join us for a 90-minute discussion exploring how conservatives and liberals view fraud in Minnesota. Through respectful dialogue, participants will examine competing perspectives, challenge assumptions, and discover where there may be areas of agreement. Come prepared to think critically, listen deeply, and engage with neighbors who see the issue differently.

If you want to do a bit of homework (not required), you can do research on your own or review two handouts vetted by a Red and a Blue:

·       Understanding Fraud in Minnesota

·       Who’s Minding the Store Fact Sheet

Why Should You Attend?

●  To better articulate your own thinking about the fraud issue

●  To better understand the other side’s point of view

●  To identify common concerns about fraud in government benefit programs

●  To explore potential solutions and their tradeoffs and see what, if any actions you can take as a citizen.

Sept. 22 - Fall Kick-off and Constructive Conversation - Eagan

Tuesday, Sept. 22   7-8:30 p.m.

Advent Methodist Church
3945 Lexington Avenue South

Eagan, MN 55123

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

Join Braver Angels Dakota County for a respectful conversation across differences and help shape our topics and events for the year ahead.

Join the Braver Angels Dakota County Alliance for our **Fall Kickoff and Constructive Conversation** on Tuesday, September 22. We’ll gather for a respectful discussion on a topic chosen by attendees, with the goal of better understanding different perspectives rather than debating or trying to change minds. We’ll also hear your ideas for topics, events, and goals you’d like the alliance to take on this fall and winter. Whether you want to join the conversation, listen to others, share ideas for the year ahead, or simply meet fellow members, everyone is welcome.

Questions? Contact Kraig Finwall, kraig@braverangels.org

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org.

Sept. 23  Braver Angels West Metro Alliance Social - Plymouth

Wednesday, Sept. 23    5:30-7:30 p.m.

Host: West Metro Alliance
Davanni’s, 3015 Harbor Lane, Plymouth

You are invited to our West Metro Alliance's dinner and socializing event with a non-competitive, no-stress game for practicing The Better Angel Way discussions. Of course, you can just talk and skip the game; this is about getting to know other Braver Angels in person.

Order your food online at least  four hours in advance to have your order ready when you arrive. Walk up orders could take 40 minutes and we’d rather have you talking with all of us, rather than waiting in line!

Questions? Contact Bruce at bpomerantz@braverangels.org

Sept. 23 - Let's Get Ready for the Election! - Ely

Wednesday, Sept. 23 - 6 p.m.

Ely Community Center
27 1st Ave E., Ely MN

Join us for hors d'oeuvres, dessert and good, friendly conversation.  Food For Thought and Food For You!

"More Curiosity - Less Animosity"

As small as the Ely Braver Angels Alliance is, we can be effective in our community. Share with your friends, family, and neighbors that Braver Angels is a place where we are not trying to change one another’s views, but to change our views of one another.  All welcome!

Sept. 29 - Depolarizing Ourselves - Plymouth

Tuesday, Sept. 20   7-8:30 p.m.

Plymouth Community Center-Education Wing

14800 34th Ave. N
Plymouth, MN 55447

The “Meet Your Neighbor” series offered by the City of Plymouth’s Parks and Recreation is all about fostering community connection through the lens of education and cultural exploration. Our goal is for participants to leave the “one-time” session feeling more knowledgeable, supported, and confident to get to know their neighbors and fellow community members whom they may otherwise not connect with.

Note: This free* event is to be attended in person. 

About this event
Polarization is fueled by how we talk about those on the other side of an issue. Too often, we ridicule, dismiss, or stereotype our fellow citizens. When Braver Angels addresses “polarization,” we are not referring to healthy disagreements over issues or philosophy. We are addressing how we regard and talk about large groups of people — people who happen to be on the other side of the political aisle.

Goals
In this 1.5-hour session, participants will learn:

• How to be more aware of their own “inner polarizer”

• How to be critical without demonizing, dismissing, or stereotyping large swaths of the population

Who Can Attend?
Anyone interested in examining their own inner polarization and learning strategies to disagree without condemning or ridiculing others.

*Tickets are Free, Donations Help: As a spam prevention measure, you must use promo code BRAVER during registration to secure your spot in the workshop. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3. Braver Angels does not ask for a donation if the participant is making one to their faith organization.

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org

Reach out to the organizer jthiemann@braverangels.org

Reach out to the organizer at jthiemann@braverangels.org

Oct. 5  - Encouraging Courageous Citizenship -- Finding Community Across Differences Before and After Elections - Woodbury

Monday, Oct. 5   6:30-8 p.m.

Woodbury Central Park
8595 Central Park Place

Woodbury, MN 55125

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help
Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations are tax deductible and help support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

In a time of deep ideological and political divides, building community across differences is challenging. In this 90-minute interactive Braver Angels session, participants will explore the sources of today's polarization and learn skills for respectful dialogue and finding common ground--especially during seasons when elections further polarize us.

Participants will also leave with information on voting access and where to find background on candidates as well as general organizational materials and resources.

This event is a collaboration of Braver Angels, Woodbury Cottage Grove Area League of Women Voters and The Grove United Methodist Church. The invitation is open to people in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond.

The event will be led by Bill Doherty,  an emeritus professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota where he taught marriage and family therapy. He focuses on couples on the brink of divorce and on political stress in relationships. Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, he co-founded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society. 

Donations support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

Oct. 6 - Skills for Disagreeing Better  - Plymouth

Tuesday, Oct. 6-7-8:30 p.m.

Plymouth Community Center-Education Wing

14800 34th Avenue N, Plymouth, MN, 55447

(763) 509-5280

SIGN UP

Is political tension hurting your family and friendships? Learn how to understand the values and concerns of people who see politics differently. Explore simple, practical skills for listening so others feel heard, and for sharing your own views in a way others can receive, even if they disagree. Participants will: 

• Better understand the values and concerns of people with different beliefs

• Develop listening skills that help others feel respected and understood

• Practice sharing your own views in a way that encourages connection instead of conflict

This workshop is a free event brought to you by Braver Angels as part of our mission to depolarize America. Braver Angels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. We invite you to consider a gift to Braver Angels; all donations are tax-deductible.  Your support will allow us to offer more workshops and debates with the ultimate goal of uniting America. Click here to donate.

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org

Oct. 13 - Finding Community in Our Differences - Rochester

Tuesday, Oct. 13  6:30-8 p.m.

RCTC Heintz Center

1926 Collegeview Road East, Rochester, MN 55904

RESERVE A SPOT   The West Lot is the best place to park. Enter through door H15. 

In a time of deep ideological and political divides, building community across differences is challenging. In this 90-minute interactive Braver Angels session, participants will explore the sources of today's polarization and learn skills for respectful dialogue and finding common ground. 

This event is a collaboration of the three Rochester Rotary Clubs, which are: The Rotary Club of Rochester, Rochester Risers Rotary Club  and Greater Rochester Rotary Club.   

The event will be led by Bill Doherty,  a co-founder of Braver Angels and an emeritus professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota where he taught marriage and family therapy. He focuses on couples on the brink of divorce and on political stress in relationships. Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, he co-founded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society. 

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free.. Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations support Braver Angels, 501(c)3. 

Oct. 13 - Managing Difficult Conversations with Constituents - Rochester

A Braver Politics workshop that lowers the stress of difficult conversations with constituents across divides and helps you find common ground.
(For elected officials and administrative staff in Olmsted and surrounding counties)

Tuesday, Oct. 13    9-11 a.m.

Rochester Public Utilities

4000 East River Road Northeast, #2813 

Rochester, MN 55906

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are free. Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations help support Braver Angels, 501(c)3. 

With communities becoming more politically polarized and public dialogue becoming more confrontational, new skills are required for leaders to better navigate disagreements and encourage a more constructive environment for doing business.

This workshop will equip you with practical tools you can use immediately when a constituent or colleague challenges you on a policy or course of action. As an elected official, you will learn skills to help lower the stress of difficult conversations and help you proceed with more confidence in your role. You will come away with strategies to better soften critics and find common ground in an increasingly divisive environment.

Questions? Contact Melinda Voss, mvoss@braverangels.org

Oct. 13 - Skills for Disagreeing Better - Rochester

Tuesday, Oct. 13     1-2:30 p.m.

Rochester Community and Technical College

1926 Collegeview Road East, Rochester, MN 55904 

RESERVE A SPOT  -- The West Lot is the best place to park. Enter through door H15.  
*Tickets are free. Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations help support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

In this polarized time, we lack basic understanding of why people on the other political side hold their beliefs. We don’t see them as they see themselves–their core values and central concerns–but instead as we choose to see them. We are tempted to regard our own side as principled and the other side as self-interested.

When we try to communicate across this gap, we often lack the skills for listening carefully, looking for common ground, and sharing our perspectives in ways that connect rather than create more misunderstanding.

We can learn to disagree better in polarized times, which means accurately seeing where we differ and where we share common ground.

Goals

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

• Better skills for listening in a way so that the other person feels heard

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

Questions? Contact Melinda Voss, mvoss@braverangels.org

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org

Oct. 13 - Depolarizing Ourselves - Rochester

Tuesday, Oct. 13  3:30-5 p.m.

Rochester Community and Technical College
1926 Collegeview Road East, Rochester, MN 55904 

RESERVE A SPOT  -- The West Lot is the best place to park. Enter through door H15. 

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are free. Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations help support Braver Angels, 501(c)3. 

A free in-person session to become more aware of your "inner polarizer" and to learn methods for disagreeing without contempt and ridicule.

Polarization is fueled by how we talk about those on the other side of an issue. Too often, we ridicule, dismiss, or stereotype our fellow citizens. When Braver Angels addresses “polarization,” we are not referring to healthy disagreements over issues or philosophy. We are addressing how we regard and talk about large groups of people -- people who happen to be on the other side of the political aisle.

Goals

In this 1.5 hour session participants will learn:

• How to be more aware of their own “inner polarizer”

• How to be critical without demonizing, dismissing or stereotyping large swaths of the population

Who Can Attend?

Anyone interested in examining their own inner polarization and learning strategies to disagree without condemning or ridiculing others.

Questions? Contact mvoss@braverangels.org, Melinda Voss

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org.

Oct. 22 - Elections — What We Hope For, What We Fear and How to Keep Them Fair - Winona

Thursday, Oct. 22    6:30-8  p.m.
Eagles Club

210 E. 4th St.

Winona, MN 55987

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

Elections: What We Hope For, What Our Concerns Are, 
and How We Keep Them Fair.

You don't have to choose between blindly trusting elections and assuming they can't be trusted. This 90-minute session offers a chance to better understand how elections work, explore what can go wrong, and what safeguards are in place. You can hear genuine beliefs from both sides and practice having a more constructive conversation about one of the most important—and divisive—issues in American democracy today.

Why Attend?
By the end of this 90-minute session, participants will:
- Identify what they hope elections accomplish.
- Articulate concerns about how elections could go awry.
- Learn some basic facts about how American elections are administered and safeguarded.
- Explore what citizens can do to strengthen confidence in elections—even when their preferred candidate loses.

Questions? Contact Melinda Voss, mvoss@braverangels.org or drycementmixer@aol.com

NATIONAL EVENTS - ALL ONLINE

Sept. 15 - The OmniAmerican Society Virtual Salon   **ONLINE**

Tuesday, Sept. 15  7-8:30 CDT

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

Join John Wood, Jr. and The OmniAmerican Society for music and conversation regarding shared American identity and bridging divides.

The OmniAmerican Society is an aspiring multimedia network, organizational coalition and civic community whose mission is to reforge our shared American identity and popularize the movement to bridge the divide. Founded by former congressional nominee, writer, musician, and longtime national ambassador for Braver Angels John Wood Jr., The OmniAmerican Society’s first Virtual Salon brings together music (with guest appearances from Micah Christian of Sons of Serendip and jazz clarinetist Evan Wood), and discussion with the founding leadership of The Society (including co-founders Heather Blakeslee of Root Quarterly Magazine and political theorist Jacob Roudtree of Johns Hopkins University), to communicate the strategic vision of The OAS, how it relates to the world of civic bridging, and to bring you into the work of building the beloved community and renewing the American order.

Sept. 16 - Becoming a Courageous Citizen    **ONLINE**

Saturday, Sept. 12  11 a.m.- noon CDT

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

An introduction to Braver Angels with some reflective exercises and discussion.

This presentation provides participants with an introduction to Braver Angels and an overview of its principles. During this presentation, participants will:

• Participate in interactive exercises and small-group conversations

• Watch a short video with a message from BraverAngels CEO Maury Giles

• Hear about the personal cost of political polarization

• Learn what being a Courageous Citizen means

This presentation is not intended to replace a skills-based workshop.

Questions? Contact byoung@braverangels.org, Brady Young, 3035065722

** This event is open to the media upon approval. Send requests to press@braverangels.org.

Sept. 26 - Skills for Disagreeing Better    **ONLINE**

Saturday, Sept. 26  1-2:30Central 

RESERVE A SPOT  *Tickets are Free, Donations Help Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Donations beyond the free ticket support Braver Angels, 501(c)3.

In this polarized time, we lack basic understanding of why people on the other political side hold their beliefs. We don’t see them as they see themselves–their core values and central concerns–but instead as we choose to see them. We are tempted to regard our own side as principled and the other side as self-interested.

When we try to communicate across this gap, we often lack the skills for listening carefully, looking for common ground, and sharing our perspectives in ways that connect rather than create more misunderstanding.

We can learn to disagree better in polarized times, which means accurately seeing where we differ and where we share common ground.

Goals

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

• Better skills for listening in a way so that the other person feels heard

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

Questions? Contact Paige Swartz, paige@braverangels.org

For more national online opportunities, visit Braver Angels Events Calendar.