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

Aug. 26 - Alliance Summer Fish Fry - Ely

Wednesday, Aug. 26 - 5-7 p.m.  (Rescheduled from July 22 because of fires and dangerous air quality)

Samz Place, 1225 Winton Road, Ely

We hope to see you at our Summer Social on August 26, 5-7 at Samz Place!

Fish fry, beer and pop, and dessert bar - no charge for any of that, but of course donations are welcome. In addition, you'll hear brief comments from candidates for local and state offices. Grant Hauschild (our state senator D) and Roger Skraba (our representative R) will both be present and share some thoughts on working across the aisle. Roger is also cooking the fish!

Happy 250th Birthday, America! And Belated Happy 4th of July to all you Ely Braver Angels and others curious about this organization.

At the national convention in Philadelphia last week, the nearly 900 delegates from all over the US forged a pledge for our time. Honoring the pledge made by those brave souls who risked everything to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776, all the delegates stood and read this pledge:

"I pledge to be a courageous citizen — to choose curious listening over contempt, to build alongside those with different politics, and to embrace our shared duty to renew America's civic culture."

This pledge doesn’t ask us to come to an agreement about how the future of our country should look. It asks that we engage in citizenship, which means learning what we can about the issues we face, listening to one another to hear a range of ideas, sharing the values we have in common, and moving ahead with solutions that include respect for one another. The signers of the Declaration of Independence didn’t agree on much, and they were trying to set up a whole nation on the novel (at the time) premise that free people can govern themselves. Surely, we Americans today can accomplish a renewal that creates effective government. But we can’t do it through apathy or rancor. We need a culture of involvement, of caring, of understanding our civic responsibility, and modeling good citizenship for the next generation.

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. 

We hope to see you at our Summer Social on Aug. 26, 5-7 p.m. at Samz Place when the air is clear again. Let’s be courageous citizens and bridge our political divides to create a culture where we can disagree agreeably. Let’s carry the spirit of 1776 forward!

The Ely Braver Angels Alliance meets the 4th Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m., usually at the Ely Community Center at 27 S. 1st Ave E. All welcome!

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 - Fraud in America: Trust, Accountability, and Responsibility Across Differences – Woodbury

Save the date - Details to come

Sept. 23 - Alliance Meeting - Ely

Wednesday, Sept. 23 - 6 p.m.

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

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!

Oct. 5  - Finding Community in Our 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 beyond the free ticket 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. 

Oct. 13 - How Do We Find Community in Our Differences - Rochester

Tuesday, Oct. 13  6:30-8 p.m.

RCTC Heintz Center

1926 Collegeview Road East, Rochester, MN 55904

Explore how to engage in respectful dialogue across differences.

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.

Oct. 13 - Managing Difficult Conversationns with Constituents - Rochester
(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, 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.

A Braver Politics Workshop that lowers the stress of difficult conversations w/ constituents across divides & helps you find common ground.

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

Elected officials and staff frequently communicate with constituents with different points of view. 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 Braver Politics 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

851 30th Avenue Southeast, Rochester, MN 55904

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.

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
851 30th Avenue Southeast, Rochester, MN  55904

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.

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.

NATIONAL EVENTS - ALL ONLINE

Aug. 11 - Debate - Resolved:  Should government incentivize child rearing?   **ONLINE**

Tuesday, Aug 11   7-9 p.m. CDT

RESERVE A SPOT   You need to reserve a spot will not need physical or virtual tickets in order to attend this event. After registration, you will be emailed the zoom link to attend the event. Keep an eye out! *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.

Is state intervention in family planning essential to secure America's future, or does it intrude on personal privacy? With declining birth rates and aging populations, governments worldwide are increasingly weighing policies to encourage family growth. 

Proponents argue that government incentives—such as tax credits, childcare subsidies, and paid parental leave—are vital to alleviate the rising cost of raising children and ensure sustainable population levels. They contend that supporting families yields long-term societal benefits, bolstering workforce capacity and funding social safety nets. Opponents, however, maintain that reproductive and family decisions are deeply personal choices that should remain free from state influence or financial manipulation. They argue that such incentives are often costly, ineffective, and potentially inequitable to childless individuals.

Join Braver Angels Tues Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. CDT for a debate on the topic – Resolved: Government should incentivize child rearing. 

Remember, our resolutions never represent Braver Angels' stance on any issue, and we alternate between speeches for and against the resolution.

Come join us for this free national debate, in which all participants from across the ideological spectrum will have an opportunity to speak and ask their questions. Tell us what you have experienced and what you think.

Questions? Email debates@braverangels.org.

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You probably haven’t experienced anything like a Braver Angels Debate. This is a highly structured conversation in which a group of people think together, listen carefully to one another, and allow themselves to be touched and perhaps changed by each other’s ideas. When done well, everyone walks out a little closer to the truth, more aware of the validity in opposing views, and with tighter community relationships.

To learn more about our debates, you can take a look at our quick start guide and this video about the spirit of a Braver Angels Debate. For further information, including to find additional upcoming events or view recordings of some of our past debates, please visit: https://braverangels.org/what-we-do/debates/.

This debate is a free event brought to you by Braver Angels, a 501(c)(3) non-profit as part of our mission to depolarize America. 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.

You will have an opportunity to make a donation as you register, if you so choose. Your choice will have no bearing on your registration or Zoom meeting assignment.

Braver Angels events may be recorded, and may be shared with media or used in Braver Angels publications, including web pages. Participants who object to this may disable their video.

Aug 15 - Skills for Disagreeing Better   **ONLINE**

Saturday, Aug 15    1-2:45 p.m. 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.

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 Abe Dana at adana@braverangels.org

Aug. 17 - What Role Does Patriotism Have in Schools?   Webinar  **ONLINE**

Monday, August 17  6-8 p.m. 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.

What place does patriotism have in schools? Join a live national conversation with diverse voices from across America.

Patriotism is one of those terms that seems pretty simple—until you start talking about it.

Across the country, Americans are debating whether schools should help shape students’ sense of patriotism and civic identity. Some believe schools should cultivate love of country, civic responsibility, and national unity, while others worry that teaching patriotism can become a form of indoctrination or limit open discussion about difficult parts of American history.

In this live online event, a politically and culturally diverse group of students, parents, educators, writers, and community members will explore what patriotism means to them personally and what role, if any, schools should play in shaping it.

Rather than trying to win an argument, this conversation aims to model thoughtful listening, honest dialogue, and the possibility of finding more common ground than we often imagine.

Questions? Contact Mary Thomas-Vallens, marytv@braverangels.org; Ken Futernick ken@schoolconversations.org; Paige Swartz paige@braverangels.org

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

Aug. 22 - Common Ground Workshop on Immigration   **ONLINE**

Saturday, Aug 22  Noon-5 p.m. 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 us for an online Common Ground Workshop on immigration. Equal numbers of Reds and Blues take a deep dive into an issue to find joint agreements. Participants will work hard to find common ground.

The Braver Angels Common Ground Workshop brings together equal numbers of Conservatives and Liberals - Reds and Blues (4-6 of each) - for a deep dive into a problem, such as addressing climate change, electoral reform or abortion. Together participants talk about their connection to the issue and their opinion on solutions. By the end of the 5 hour event they have come up with jointly and unanimously held Points of Agreements on values, concerns and policies.

The Common Ground workshop is an out-growth of Braver Angels signature Red-Blue workshop and allows participants to delve deeper into a single issue. Points of Agreement can be fleshed out at future group meetings, and when possible lead to joint actions such as op-eds, joint speaking and meetings with legislators.

Goals:

• To delve into a single issue where citizens differ, and learn how each other sees the problem

• To delineate areas of common ground and points of agreement

• To learn something that might be helpful to others in our community and the nation.

Logistics:

There are two ways to join a Common Ground Workshop:

• Participant: A participant will engage in small- and large-group discussions with individuals of both the same and different political persuasions. Participants must identify as “red” (Republican or leaning conservative) or “blue” (Democrat or leaning liberal). We will strive for an equal balance of red and blue participants: 4 to 6 people on each side.

• Observer/Alternate: An observer/alternate will not participate in the discussions directly but will have the opportunity to watch and listen. Observers/Alternates should be ready to step in and participate as their "color" in the event of participant cancellations. In areas that have a geographic "color" imbalance, allowing for up to 15 Observers/Alternates provides an opportunity for more people to experience a Common Ground workshop.

Who can come? Anyone interested in developing a deeper understanding of, and connection with, people whose political beliefs differ from their own. You should honestly be able to answer "yes" to the following question:

“Are you willing to listen to the other side, and are you willing to speak to the other side with respect?”

Everyone who signs up will receive a phone call or email from an organizer. Organizers reserve the right to switch people between Participant and Observer/Alternate status depending on the needs of the workshop.

Questions? Contact yboyd@braverangels.org

Aug. 29 - Families and Politics   **ONLINE**

Saturday, Aug 29  1-4 p.m. 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.

Family relationships can become casualties of a toxic political environment. Family members are having bitter political arguments, avoiding each other, or even cutting off lifetime relationships.

If you want to preserve important family bonds while still being true to your values and political beliefs, this workshop will offer you:

• Insight into why family differences over politics are uniquely challenging

• Recognition of common roles that family members play in political conversations

• Strategies and skills for handling family political differences in a constructive way

Although the focus is on family relationships, you can use the learnings in this workshop with any loved one. You’ll laugh and have some fun in this workshop—it won’t be all serious. After all, we all come from quirky families.

Please be on time. Because this is an interactive workshop, latecomers may not be admitted.

Questions? Contact Paige Swartz, paige@braverangels.org

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