In a May 20th piece, Convergence Senior Director of Programs, Kit Chalberg, emphasizes the unique potential county leaders have to strengthen communities by bringing people together across differences. Convergence partnered with National Association of Counties (NACo) in support of NACo President Mary Jo McGuire’s signature “ForwardTogether” theme to create a toolkit and a series of training sessions for county leaders to bridge their communities across differences.

In the article, Chalberg notes that,

“We are experiencing a heavily divided culture where bridging across diferences proves to be exceedingly difficult. However, even amid signifcant polarization, there is hope…And, despite the waning trust in federal elected officials, Gallup’s findings indicate that 67 percent place signifcant trust in local government to tackle local challenges. Gallup also found that 67 percent have a great deal of trust in local government to handle community issues. County leaders are poised to play a crucial role in bringing people together and bridging divides.”