Building Together 2024 - Plenary Sessions

Plenary Sessions

These are the times that all attendees are invited to come together during Building Together to discuss some of the largest issues related to connecting and collaborating across difference. 

The Personal Work of Moving From Conflict to Curiosity

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.

Welcome & Introductions:

David Hsu

David Hsu
Director, Building Cultures of Belonging
Omidyar Network

Heather Templeton Dill

Heather Templeton Dill
President
John Templeton Foundation

Katie Robinson

Katie Robinson
Director
Mosaic

Speakers:

David Brooks

David Brooks
NY Times Columnist
Author, How To Know a Person

Mónica Guzmán

Mónica Guzmán
Senior Fellow for Public Practice
Braver Angels

Romanita Hairston

Romanita Hairston
CEO
M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Special Appearance:

Leslé Honoré

Leslé Honoré
CEO
Urban Gateways

Bridging and Equity, Hand in Hand

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.

Speakers:

Sulma Arias

Sulma Arias
Executive Director
People’s Action and People’s Action Institute

Joshua Clark

Joshua Clark
Senior Social Scientist
Othering and Belonging Institute

Kathleen Enright

Kathleen Enright
President and CEO
Council on Foundations

Eboo Patel

Eboo Patel
Founder and President
Interfaith America

Eric Ward

Eric Ward
Executive Vice President
Race Forward

Luciano Antonio

Special Appearance:
Luciano Antonio

The Power of Telling – and Hearing – Each Other’s Stories

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.

Speakers:

Térèse Coudreaut

Térèse Coudreaut
Vice President/Administration
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Jenn Hoos Rothberg

Jenn Hoos Rothberg
Executive Director
Einhorn Collaborative

Special Appearance:

Speakers:

Sandra M. Clark

Sandra M. Clark
Chief Executive Officer
StoryCorps

Dave Isay

Dave Isay
Founder & President
StoryCorps

How ‘Good Conflict’ Can Save Our Democracy From Toxic Polarization

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.

Welcome & Introduction:

Jay Williams

Jay Williams
President
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

Special Appearance:

Speakers:

Bob Dold

Bob Dold
Former Member of Congress, Partner
Forbes Tate Partners

Wendy Feliz

Wendy Feliz
Managing Director, Democracy
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Ali Noorani

Ali Noorani
Director, U.S. Democracy Program
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Amanda Ripley

Amanda Ripley
Co-Host of the Slate podcast, How-To
Author of High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out

Layla Zaidane

Layla Zaidane
President and CEO
Future Caucus

Questions?

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