Read on to learn more about the June 22, 2022 Leadership Council meeting and watch the event recordings.

A Conversation with john powell: 2022 Recipient of the Convergence Bridge-Building Leadership Award

“Bridge-building is saying ‘I respect you. I want to hear you. I’m not questioning you humanity. I’m curious about you. We won’t agree but I will listen to you.’”

Tune in to hear more from the inspiring conversation with 2022 recipient of the Convergence Bridge-Building Leadership Award, John Powell.

Watch the segment recording.

Economic Opportunity Discussion June 2022 Leadership Council

“Access to economic opportunity for everyone and a multiple pathways approach to opportunity where there’s lots of ways to get on track that really fit with your own life and life experience… We believe that that’s actually connected to our health as a society and our democracy overall.” – Russell Krumnow, Vice President, Programs

Watch for an immersive look into Convergence’s Economic Opportunity Portfolio, and hear from several staff members actively involved with the work, including:

• Mariah Levison: Convergence’s new Chief Program Officer (who many of you may know from her service on the Leadership Council!)
• Russell Krumnow: Vice President, Programs
• Anita Chandramohan: Director, Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs
• Abby McCloskey: Director, Convergence Dialogue on Supports for Working Families

Watch the segment recording.

“At the end of the day, what each American wants is to put food on their table, take care of the children, and have a chance at the American dream.” – Dr. Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua

On May 24, 2022 Convergence hosted a virtual discussion featuring cross-sector experts on economic mobility and job training to launch of the Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs. The conversation was moderated by Anita Chandramohan, Director of the Dialogue.

We were joined by Dr. Stephen Goldsmith, Derek Bok Professor of the Practice of Urban Policy and the Director of the Data-Smart Cities Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government; Dr. Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua, Professor of Engineering, Program Director, Smart Manufacturing Technology Program, Ohlone College, Fremont, California; and Della Adams, Upward Academy Program Manager at Tyson Foods.

The Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs seeks to address why millions of job seekers – low- to moderate-income earners who are currently employed, under-employed, or long-term unemployed – are unable to access and navigate resources, tools, and opportunities to move into new, improved, and stable avenues of employment.

Watch the event recording.

“If you look at any massive social or political movement in U.S. history it has been because of transformations along generational lines.” – Layla Zaidane

During the fifth annual National Week of Conversation, Convergence co-hosted an event on ‘Bridging Across Generations’ with Convergence CEO David Eisner; Layla Zaidane of Millennial Action Project (MAP); Manu Meel of BridgeUSA; and Marc Freedman of Encore.org facilitating the discussion. The event drew a terrific turnout, and participants discussed the topic with wonderfully thought-provoking comments and questions throughout the conversation.

More notable quotes from the event:

David Eisner: “We distort the amount to which our views are opposed to those of other people.”

Marc Freedman: “Right now, we have a largely white older population and a much more diverse younger generation. If we can solve the generational divide, we have a better chance at success across the political divide..”

Manu Meel: “We want people who WANT to have discussions about generational divide to have louder voices..”

Watch Video.

Read on to learn more about the March 16, 2022 Leadership Council meeting speakers and watch the meeting recordings.

Eboo Patel

“For centuries people thought that the identity that would most rip a nation apart was religious identity… Again, the United State of America is the first nation to proves that you can actually have a religiously diverse democracy.” – Eboo Patel at the March 16, 2022 Leadership Council Meeting

Convergence CEO David Eisner interviewed Eboo Patel, author, speaker, educator, and interfaith leader founded Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC).

Eboo Patel spoke about the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He is inspired to build this bridge by his identity as an American Muslim navigating a religiously diverse social landscape. For over 15 years, he has worked with governments, social sector organizations, and college and university campuses to help make interfaith cooperation a social norm. Learn about IFYC’s inspiring work and perspective and the multiple ways that IFYC and Convergence are now partnering with a special preview of Eboo Patel’s upcoming book,“We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy.”

Watch Video.

Convergence Dialogue on Reimagining Care for Older Adults Participants

“Convergence [is a] sort of a catalyst for supercharging expertise in a way that’s collaborative.” – Dr. Marc Cohen at the March 16, 2022 Leadership Council meeting

Convergence Dialogue on Reimagining Care for Older Adults Manager Isabel Hinestrosa interviewed 3 Dialogue participants: Naomi Lopez, Director of Healthcare Policy, Goldwater Institute, Marc Cohen PhD, UMASS Boston Gerontology Professor of Gerontology; Co-Director LeadingAge LTSS Center, and Donna Benton PhD, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Research Associate Professor of Gerontology; Director of the USC Family Caregiver Support Center (FCSC).

Watch Video.

On March 2nd, Civic Genius, Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, More in Common, and Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) — four nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations who recently partnered to engage local, grassroots, and faith-based audiences in national and local dialogues around digital disinformation — hosted a partnership launch event with a group of diverse leaders:

• Dr. Krishnan Narasimhan: Chair of Doctors for America
• Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III: Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago IL
• Hillari Lombard: Host of Moderate Party Podcast

The event examined digital disinformation, its causes, and the reasons why it is hard to agree on what is true and build consensus on collective solutions.The speakers discussed the impact of digital disinformation has on various communities, including BIPOC, historically marginalized, and faith-based communities. They also explored how disinformation intersects with public health, religion and our daily lives and address how we can reduce its harms without infringing upon free speech and civil and human rights. The engaging conversation concluded with a Q&A session from attendees and civic stakeholders.

Watch the event recording.

On December 7th, the leaders and practitioners in the Convergence Dialogue on Guns and Suicide Prevention marked the conclusion of their yearlong engagement by releasing their final report and convening a virtual public event to highlight its conclusions and strategies to save lives. Dialogue participants span diverse perspectives across America‘s deep guns divide. At the event, participants discussed the report findings and described their collaborative experience as successful, productive and eye-opening – not only the substantive work advising on pathways to prevent gun suicides, but also the collaborative dialogue approach that generated trust and the ability to reach common ground across the group’s differences. Dialogue participants included:

• Chris Cheng: The History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion
• Emmy Betz MD, MPH: Professor of Emergency Medicine at University of Colorado School of Medicine
• Doreen Marshall: Vice President of Mission Engagement, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
• Russell Krumnow: Senior Director of Projects, Convergence

In addition, two Dialogue participants discussed the suicide prevention work of their organizations that the report spotlighted: Casey Pick, Senior Fellow for Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project, the nation’s largest suicide prevention organization for LGTBQ+ youth; and Mike Sodini, Founder and President of Walk the Talk America, which works directly with firearm manufacturers and retailers to promote mental health, suicide awareness and critical gun-safety practices.

Watch Video.

“I have been involved with Convergence for a decade, and the last two hours are among my favorites ever.”

That’s how one long-term Leadership Council member described the exceptional two panels that opened Convergence’s Fall Leadership Council Meeting on Oct. 7. Read on to learn more about these provocative conversations.

Amanda Ripley

CEO David Eisner interviewed New York Times best-selling author Amanda Ripley about her new book, “High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out.” To purchase her book, click here. If you purchase through Amazon, consider using AmazonSmile and making Convergence your charity of choice for this and all of your Amazon purchases. Ripley explained the difference between “high conflict” and “good conflict” and how sometimes doing what is counter-intuitive is the best approach to produce constructive dialogue and bridge divides. She also provided tips to break free from the trap of “us versus them” to embrace the healthy conflict that is essential for our growth as individuals and as a society.

Watch Video.

Guns & Suicide Prevention

Russell Krumnow, Director of the Convergence Dialogue on Guns and Suicide Prevention, led an in-depth discussion with Dialogue participants about the impact of bringing diverse voices together to prevent firearm suicides. Participant Sherry Molock, a pastor and researcher at George Washington University, specializes in suicide risk and prevention in African American adolescents and young adults. Dr. Molock also works to advance suicide prevention programs in African American faith-based communities and shared how the first-time experience impacted her:

“I’ve been doing research on suicide prevention for 25 years, but I’ve never sat down with gun advocates ever. I thought we lived on different planets…

It was very eye-opening for me to talk with people who are either gun advocates, gun owners, or people who are even involved in policy work because they had a different perspective and are crucial to crafting research efforts and solutions that can really work to save lives.”

The Dialogue recommendations are scheduled to be released next month.