Podcast
Our ThisIsCivity! podcast features people who are building relationships to dismantle inequities and strengthen communities grounded in respect and empathy.
Kelsey Blahnik on how “And” can help us adapt, accept, and connect across difference
In this episode, we talk with Kelsey Blahnik, LCSW-S, author of The AND Way: Assertive Peacemaking in a Divided World. Blahnik explores both the interior and exterior work we all need to do to stay grounded, choose kindness and compassion, and recognize each other’s humanity, even when we feel at odds or don’t agree. This book helps us learn to develop skills of tolerance, empathy, and emotional resilience necessary for authentic peacemaking.
To learn more, go to TheAndWayTherapy.com.
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In this episode, we talk with Kelsey Blahnik, LCSW-S, author of The AND Way: Assertive Peacemaking in a Divided World. Blahnik explores both the interior and exterior work we all […]
February 10, 2026
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In this episode, we talk with Tania Israel, professor emeritus at UC Santa Barbara, and author of the books Facing the Fracture and Beyond your Bubble. Israel’s focus is on […]
January 27, 2026
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My guest is Nathan Smolensky, Independent strategist and Author of the book Common Ground from the Ground Up: How rethinking politics can help us feel heard, heal relationships, and fix […]
December 9, 2025
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In this episode, we talk with April Ossmann, poet and independent editor, and author of WE… a collection of poems focused on bridging divides by exploring unconscious prejudices. In We, […]
December 1, 2025
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In this episode, we talk with Seth Pinsky…CEO of the 92nd St. Y in New York, a cultural stalwart in the city focused on convening people across difference, with the […]
November 19, 2025
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In this episode, we talk with James Coan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of More Like US, a national organization that seeks to correct political misperceptions – helping people see that […]
February 10, 2025
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In this episode, we talk with John Paul Lederach – professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, focused on international peacebuilding. Lederach spent much of his career helping build […]
January 26, 2025
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In this episode, we talk with Angela Bradbery – Frank Karel Chair in Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism & Communications. Bradbery spearheads the annual […]
January 16, 2025
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In this episode, we talk with Jennifer Leshnower, Bridging & Democracy Advisor at AmeriCorps. Jennifer and I discuss the importance of bringing people together… and how relationship building through service, […]
November 19, 2024
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In this episode, we talk with Ben Bain, volunteer Brick Yard leader for the Washington, D.C. area for the organization More Perfect Union. More Perfect Union seeks to strengthen communities […]
October 18, 2024
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In this episode, we talk with Michael McRay, experiential story coach, and founder of Becoming Restoried. Michael helps others find and share their own stories, toward healing, reconciling, and connection. […]
October 18, 2024
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In this episode, we talk with Mónica Guzmán, Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, and author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly […]
February 26, 2024
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In this episode, we talk with David Brooks, New York Times Columnist, and author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. […]
January 29, 2024
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In this episode, we chat with Alexandra Hudson about her new book –The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves. Hudson explores the difference between politeness and […]
December 18, 2023
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In this episode, we explore the importance of strong neighborhood and community relationships to the health of nations, and we discuss the fact that many neighborhoods in the U.S. don’t […]
November 10, 2023
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In this episode, we talk with Riaz Patel, executive producer and director focusing on reality shows that depict people connecting and having positive transformations. Riaz created what he calls the […]
September 26, 2023
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In this episode, we explore how “othering” has led to increased marginalization and vilification of people who are un-housed – and how civity can help counter this trend by helping […]
April 10, 2023
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In this episode, we explore how engaging across our racial and class divides and cultivating solidarity can help bring us together to care for and nurture our democracy. My guest […]
March 3, 2023
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In this episode, we explore a massive new study on improving the health of democracy. The Strengthening Democracy Challenge invited more than 30,000 people to engage with 25 interventions. The […]
February 17, 2023
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In this episode, we welcome Dr. Jacqueline Font-Guzmán, vice president for diversity, equity, & inclusion at Eastern Mennonite University; and strategic vision director for the Center of Justice & Peace […]
July 11, 2022
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In this episode, we welcome Graham Bodie, professor of integrated marketing communication at the University of Mississippi, and chief listening officer with the Listen First Project. As with Civity, the […]
July 9, 2022
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In this episode, we speak with David Eisner, CEO of the nonprofit bridging organization Convergence , about the increasing role of bridging organizations in cultivating relationships across difference, and working […]
December 10, 2021
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In this episode, we talk with Josh Schachter – Founder & director of Community Share, a nonprofit that connects community resources, artists, organizations, and people to teachers, students, and schools. […]
October 3, 2021
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Welcoming Week is an annual event put on by the organization Welcoming America to support communities seeking to increase belonging among all members of their communities, including immigrants. The theme […]
September 6, 2021
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In this episode, we explore the importance of bridging and relational infrastructure to achieving healthy communities. Our guest is Nang Mo Kham, Eisenhower Fellow & senior health specialist at the […]
July 28, 2021
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In this episode, we explore the role of the public health department, and how civity practices can help local public health officials navigate differences and help residents feel heard and […]
June 10, 2021
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In this episode, we talk with John Wood, Jr., national ambassador for Braver Angels, an organization also working to build relationships across the divides that fracture Americans – including red-blue, […]
October 13, 2020
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Community Church of Barrington seeks to have people in their community connect and relate across differences, and they have been hosting what are called Courageous Conversations in an effort to […]
May 28, 2020
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In this episode, Marnita Schroedl, CEO of Marnita’s Table, and Lauren Williams, Marnita’s Table’s Training Manager & Executive Administrator, discuss how to socially engineer equity. Marnita’s Table has been working […]
May 27, 2020
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Attorney and Louisville civic leader Tom Williams discusses the importance of cultivating connections in communities where difference can lead to deep divide, and the importance of putting people at the […]
October 31, 2019
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Rachel Peric, executive director of Welcoming America, visits the This Is Civity Podcast to discuss the importance of inclusion in communities, and how government and business leaders can lead the […]
September 3, 2019
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CFRA’s Jordan Feyerherm & Gladys Godinez join the podcast to discuss the relational and civity nature of the work they do to encourage inclusion and connection in rural U.S. communities. […]
July 17, 2019
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Library Director Derek Wolfgram and Library Services Supervisor Jenny Barnes talk about the Redwood City Public Library’s Human Library, which helps to bridge divides by allowing readers to check out […]
May 30, 2019
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Rabbi David Levinsky is Saidye Bromfman Rabbinical Chair at Temple Har Shalom in Park City, Utah. Nate Bagley is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints […]
January 16, 2019
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Stephanie Lepp, artist, strategist, and producer and host of the Reckonings podcast, discusses how she explores the ways we change hearts and minds, often by recognizing and transforming our own […]
December 18, 2018
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Jud Hendrix is executive director for Lean Into Louisville and project catalyst for the Global Human project. Jud has dedicated his life to encouraging and creating opportunities for engagement across […]
November 30, 2018
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Zach Bell and Ron Towns are co-founders and co-directors of Camp Common Ground. a summer camp that brings racially and economically diverse middle schoolers together to teach them about leadership, […]
July 2, 2018
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Kim Roth Howe, founding principal of Co-Creative Labs and TEDx Talk speaker on “Searching for Purple in a Red and Blue Time, was prompted by the 2016 election to devote […]
June 6, 2018
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Acts of dehumanization and humiliation are tools of war and submission. But, the flip side – the impact of offering dignity and acknowledging humanity, is less well studied. Claudia Cohen […]
May 30, 2018
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Stuart Chittenden is a lawyer by training, but he began to see the power of empathetic conversation on relationships and even his own outlook on life. He now focuses on […]
January 25, 2018
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This is Civity Radio talks with Kate Chance and Ameena Jandali with the Islamic Networks Group (ING). ING works around the country on education geared toward cultural literacy and mutual […]
October 24, 2017
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Andrew Hanauer, director of One America, discusses the work of his organization in the face of significant polarization among people in the U.S. and the importance of having people work […]
August 21, 2017
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Greg Baldwin, president of VolunteerMatch joins This is Civity Radio to discuss how a Civity Brush on BART profoundly impacted him and people around him, eventually ending up on the […]
March 8, 2017
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Jacob Hess is director of the Utah chapter of The Village Square and one of the collaborators of The All Sides Dictionary, which has been (and is being) written by […]
November 30, 2016
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Paul VanDeCarr is Managing Director and Co-Founder of Working Narratives. He has spent much of his career using storytelling to build relationships, make connections, build understanding, and communicate ideas. Paul […]
September 18, 2016
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Vivek Patil is head of outreach for the Arlington County Democratic Committee in Virginia. Vivek uses a relationship-based – or Civity-based – approach to building community. This is in contrast […]
September 14, 2016
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Marty Swaim, co-founder of Challenging Racism, discusses the importance of sharing stories and listening, even when it can be scary, uncomfortable, or frustrating. It is the only way to build […]
April 30, 2016
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Vincent Pan, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) SF, joins This is Civity to discuss the work of his community civil rights organization. CAA works to ensure that […]
February 12, 2016
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Liz Joyner, executive director of The Village Square, says the work of collaboration does not begin once there is a problem to be solved. To be successful, that work must […]
December 16, 2015
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Joan Blades, co-founder of Living Room Conversations, sits down with This is Civity Radio Show to discuss the importance of sitting down with people you disagree with to build empathy […]
December 9, 2015
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Urban environments such as San Francisco offer many activities, services, and amenities. But if people do not know about them or how to engage, they can feel isolated or cut […]
December 1, 2015
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John Esterle, co-executive director of The Whitman Institute, joins Civity co-founder Malka Kopell to discuss the critical role of philanthropy in support of projects that build relationships to help bridge […]
October 14, 2015
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Everyday Democracy Executive Director Martha McCoy discusses how we can address issues of privilege, social justice, and equity through Civity-building. (NOTE: This podcast cuts off after 23 minutes) […]
October 7, 2015
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Civity co-founders Malka Kopell and Palma Strand join us to discuss their work, why they decided to create Civity, what they hope to accomplish, and what Civity is working on […]
September 15, 2015
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