Description

Listen in as Kristine and Ali discuss:

• Creating a compelling narrative around why our institutions should serve everyone
• Mitigating the corrosive effects of polarization
• Building national institutions that are strong enough to deliver on the needs of the American people
• The Hewlett Foundation’s focus on trustworthy elections, democratic infrastructure, and dependable institutions
• The importance of assessing who are you not listening to – and then open your ears to them 

Key Takeaways:

• Optimism fills the gaps between where we are today and our imagined future
• Ultimately, the purpose of our democratic experiment is to take care of one another
• When it comes to politics and the political system, nurturing culture and values is as important as tending to policy and structure
• Don’t let different language obscure shared aspirations
• We have to step outside our comfort zone to face America’s identity crisis
• The world is serious enough. You can take the world seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously 

"At the end of the day, what people want is to be heard. And if people feel like they're being heard, and they're being respected for what they're saying, they will listen to something that they may initially perceive as different." — Ali Noorani

Episode References: 

• High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley - https://www.amazon.com/High-Conflict-Why-Get-Trapped/dp/1982128569 

About Ali Noorani: Ali Noorani is the program director of U.S. democracy at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. He manages the grantmaking process to strengthen America’s electoral and governing institutions, ultimately building public trust in our democracy.

Connect with Ali: 

Website: https://hewlett.org/ 

Website: https://alinoorani.org/ 

Twitter: https://x.com/anoorani 

Check out Ali’s books here: 

• Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants: https://alinoorani.org/crossing-borders/ 
• There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration: https://alinoorani.org/there-goes-the-neighborhood/ 

Connect with Kristine:

Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/ 

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