Dear Friend,
As we head into a season filled with family gatherings, community events, or reunions with old friends, many of us are bracing for conversations about our environment, democracy, politics, and other potentially challenging topics. These conversations are difficult because they touch our deepest values, our identities, and our hopes for the future. If you feel a mix of dread and determination, you're in good company.
The work we do as environmental advocates and justice seekers is rooted in what we love and what we believe in. That's why these conversations can feel so emotionally charged... because they matter.
Each of us has tremendous power at our fingertips: every conversation we have with a loved one can make a real difference. Each person that we talk to is more likely to get involved or take action and can subsequently reach out to their network, kicking off a chain of change.
When we meet someone whose beliefs sit in direct tension with our own, it can feel high-stakes for everyone involved. This is especially true these days. There's a lot of disinformation out there, propagated by billionaires and corporations who want to intentionally mislead people on issues that we all care about (like climate change, or offshore wind power). But here's something grounding: beneath the disinformation and the polarized debates, we share far more as humans than we often realize.
Difficult conversations can unsettle us. And sometimes it just doesn't make sense to engage with someone who isn't open to listening. But they can also shift hearts, open minds, and build unexpected bridges. So how do we engage in tense conversations in strategic ways? Download our guide with tips for having difficult political conversations and questions to keep in mind. |