Bay Area group seeks to foster constructive dialogue, bridge partisan divide
Amid a polarized political environment, an organization seeks to bridge the divide by bringing Democrats and Republicans together just to talk.
As President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House, Leslie Lopato is a lifelong Democrat who's bracing herself for what she believes is an administration that will be "dangerous."
"Right now, I can't say that I'm feeling super hopeful about the direction of things," said Lopato.
Despite her misgivings of the MAGA movement and Trump supporters, the retired medical doctor wants to hear more from conservatives who voted for Trump by doubling down her efforts for the Braver Angels San Francisco Alliance.
She sets up online and in-person workshops, debates, and meetings, to bring opposing perspectives closer together.
"Somebody will come in, sometimes from my side, sometimes from the other side, and they'll say something that I never thought of, a perspective that's just totally different that makes sense," said Lopato.
"It's an environment where, instead of people trying to force me to believe what they want me to believe, we have conversations," said Paul Norris.
Norris is also a volunteer for the organization. The long-time San Francisco resident once considered himself a classical liberal, but now calls himself conservative.
"I'm one of the people who says I didn't leave the left. The left, left me," said Norris. He has voted for Trump in three consecutive elections.
By connecting through the Braver Angels network, Norris and Lopato started having more challenging, yet constructive conversations about politically-charged topics they usually don't see eye to eye on.
"That informs me how I think. It won't necessarily change the side I'm on, but it will open me to looking at it in a somewhat broader way, and I find that very valuable," said Lopato.
"So sometimes we change our views a little bit about things," said Norris.
Those shifts in perspectives are welcomed, but it's seeing people shift away from online vitriol, and instead engaging in civil discourse, that's driving Norris and Lopato to continue their crusade.
"When you get to know people and you see people who are willing to try to break away from that dynamic, it gives you a little bit more hope," said Lopato.
They're hoping their commitment to meaningful dialogues will bring others on the political spectrum to do the same, one chat at a time.
According to the Braver Angels, the organization in since being founded eight years ago has expanded to 111 alliances and has had more than 58,000 participants.
