In a May 24 NPR piece, Maayan Silver covered the recent initiative by Citizen Solutions, a collaboration between Convergence and Starts with Us, on abortion issues in Wisconsin. Silver captured the diverse perspectives the 14 project participants brought to the table as they discussed the challenges around abortion in their state and worked to reach consensus solutions for Wisconsin. Participants not only achieved to come up with these solutions but they made life-changing friendships and shifts to their perspectives of ‘the other side.’ Silver notes that,
“The participants still feel like moderated discussions are the way to go. When Kai Gardner Mishlove, the executive director of Jewish Social Services of Madison, asks her fellow participants what the most surprising part of the experience has been for them, Halama chuckles, ‘my friendship with Ali.’ Muldrow flashes a smile and says, ‘I think, Bri, there are these moments where you legitimately shocked me in terms of the potential to honor people and love people.’
People who may not have agreed about things have hopped on a WhatsApp chat group to organize meet-ups or share recipes and have started following each other on Facebook. ‘That’s how this starts,’ says Gardner Mishlove. ‘A relationship develops, you get to see someone else’s point of view. It challenges you.’ “