Tuesday, May 7 | 9:00 a.m.

Even in our professional lives, harnessing the generative power of conflict is intensely personal work. This is especially true in philanthropy, where our work is driven by a deep commitment to issues that sometimes divide us. New York Times columnist and author David Brooks will prepare us to make the most of Building Together by sharing the building blocks of understanding: what it takes to truly see someone else and help them feel seen. Journalist and author Mónica Guzmán, in conversation with Romanita Hairston, CEO of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, will then explore how “fearlessly curious” conversations can help us move past conflict, from the echo chambers of social media to our own dinner tables.

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Special Appearance:

Wednesday, May 8 | 9:00 a.m.

During periods of rapid change, humans tend to respond in one of two ways, according to the Othering and Belonging Institute: We either “break” by seeding deep fears of “other” groups, or we “bridge,” by invoking our shared humanity in service of a greater “we.” How can we, as funders, position bridging as part of the pursuit of equity and justice – not in opposition to it? Kathleen Enright, President and CEO of the Council on Foundations will open the session before turning it over to a panel moderated by Joshua Clark of OBI, our speakers – Sulma Arias, Eboo Patel, and Eric Ward – will share different perspectives on how we reckon with our past, heal our collective wounds, and navigate charged differences to build a diverse, pluralistic, and inclusive society.

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Wednesday, May 8 | 4:00 p.m.

What does it look like to take one small step toward navigating divides? StoryCorps Founder Dave Isay and CEO Sandra M. Clark will share their work bringing together strangers who disagree on politics for one conversation to move beyond labels and learn about each other's lives. StoryCorps research shows that being open to hearing people’s stories, even when they are unfamiliar or challenging, can help us to move beyond assumptions, hate, and division and toward authentic connections and a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.

Thursday, May 9 | 9:00 a.m.

Toxic polarization is contributing to falling engagement across civic life, with a contentious election ratcheting up tensions even further. How did we get here? And how do we get out with American democracy intact? In our closing plenary session, Amanda Ripley, author of “High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out” will help us understand how we can disrupt the cycles that push us apart and instead engage in “good conflict” that connects us across divides and catalyzes solutions for the future. Following Amanda’s remarks, Wendy Feliz from the Arthur M. Blank Foundation will lead a discussion on repairing our fractured civic life with Layla Zaidane and Ali Noorani. Together, they will help us make sense of these tumultuous times and share strategies for how funders can invest in rebuilding trust in democracy, renewing civic engagement, and building a shared commitment, across our differences, to an inclusive and thriving multiracial democracy.

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