At a moment when division pervades America, a group of Mercer Islanders gathers each month to listen, learn, and heal — one conversation at a time.

We live in a time when political divisions stretch from the White House to family gatherings, from workplaces to neighborhood events. Families and friends have stopped talking about political events or sensitive topics, treating them almost like religion, afraid of ruining personal relationships.

The result? We’ve stopped listening, learning, and disagreeing. We’ve surrounded ourselves with people who think just like us, or we’ve turned to the virtual world, seeking validation from strangers who share similar opinions. We’ve stopped those conversations, especially in person, with friends, families, and neighbors.

How do we move forward with this mindset in a close-knit community like Mercer Island, where we’re all interconnected as neighbors?

When Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum invited me to participate in a group discussion hosted by Braver Angels facilitator and longtime Islander Chris Goelz at Herzl-Ner Tamid in the spring of 2024, I immediately responded, “I’ll be there.” I went in with the mindset that I was going to learn from my neighbors, as a Chinese immigrant who was taught by my parents never to participate in political discussions or politics.

I paid little attention to American politics until the summer of 2023, when a family friend decided to run for school board, an experience that opened a new world and friendships for me. Our monthly Brave Conversations also opened my mind to past and current events, and different perspectives while giving me space to learn and to share my own without fear of being judged, criticized, rejected, or retaliated against.

As our facilitator, Chris Goelz, reminds us at the beginning of every meeting, “We are here to listen, not to debate or change anyone’s mind.”

With that, our group has explored many topics that are often considered taboo — issues like the Trump administration’s policies, Jan. 6, Oct. 7, political violence, immigration, class differences, mistrust and more.

As one participant put it during our latest meeting, “Our group represents America, with members who lean hard right to hard left, and everywhere in between.” We keep coming back, month after month, and each discussion goes a little deeper and sometimes longer, but most importantly, we respect one another and disagree civilly.

Here’s what participants shared about what makes these conversations meaningful and why we keep showing up.

Craig Bohn: “I appreciate seeing that people with differing views are kind and heartfelt individuals. Some see the government as essential because it’s the only entity large enough to reach everyone. Others, with whom I concur, see the challenge as an individual one, addressed through our personal efforts and through our religious and community organizations.”

Mike Cero: “I’m a bit of a latecomer to these monthly meetings but I found the discussions to be certainly civil (I mean we’re in a place of worship!) and very diversified based on a wide range of perspectives. I’m really enjoying the discussions and am looking forward to our next meeting.”

Darren Gold: “I am really excited to be a part of the Braver Angels discussion group. It is a chance for many of us to get out of our bubbles and understand how others think and feel about a big variety of topics and quandaries. This awareness allows for increased understanding of how different people reach their views and conclusions.”

Meghan Hamill: “As a newcomer to Braver Angels, I’m learning how to bring civil, fact-based political conversations back to my family, skills I now hope to share with my teens.”

Brad Lehrer: “It’s a time where I can express my thoughts and feel that I am being heard. Listening to others I may not agree with is fascinating because I get to hear their perspective.”

Larry J. Snyder: “Being part of this small discussion group has been invaluable, understanding others’ perspectives, feelings, and fears. Moderator Chris Goelz lets each participant fully explain their views without letting it get too personal or critical.”

Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum: “What I love about these conversations is that the members of our group have a lot of respect and affection for each other. These are not debates. The goal is to understand each other better, to get at the source of our convictions and why certain opinions matter to us so much. The level of political polarization in America has reached epic proportions. Our ‘Red-Blue-Purple Brave Conversations’ are a response to that. I wish every middle school, high school, and college in the country had people talking to each other the way our group has learned to speak. We’d be a better America if we did.”

On Mercer Island, where we run into neighbors at grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and kids’ events, these brave conversations, especially during election season, remind me that our community isn’t defined by political buckets or disagreements, it’s defined by listening, sharing, and mutual respect.

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Linnea Augustine is a Mercer Island resident, a member of the Rotary Club of Mercer Island, a supporter of the Mercer Island Schools Foundation, and a guest columnist for the Mercer Island Reporter.