Braver Angels is a national citizens group that brings together conservatives and liberals to try to understand one another better and find common ground on controversial issues. The organization was founded in 2016, just after the U.S. presidential election. The name is inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s famous first inaugural address, in which he shares his hopeful vision for national unity in his closing words:

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Today, Braver Angels’ grassroots ‘civic renewal’ movement boasts over 12,000 members. The organization offers a variety of ways to learn about and participate in bridge-building across political divides: skill-building workshops, 1:1 conversations, debates, online courses, a national convention, a new podcast, and online discussions. After participating in one of their programs, 68% of participants had a positive view of the other side, according to Braver Angels.