Tag: building

Building what we want.

A More Perfect Union

A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community
By Adam Russell Taylor
Recommended by: Bob
Publisher: Broadleaf Books

Thinking about alternatives is an important part of the One Million Rising training. In the words of the president of Sojourners, Adam Russell Taylor, whom I heard speak recently, to build a “more perfect union,” we need to be focusing on three priorities: Blocking, Bridging, and Building. We are focused a lot on Blocking bad things happening, but have little power to do that. In the future, we can work on Bridging, but that will take a very long time and will entail millions of one-on-one relationships.

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Builders

Rise Above US vs Them. Be a Builder

Recommended by: Bob B. – “Builders Movement, was launched by Starts With Us, and supported by Kind founder, Daniel Lubetsky.”

Our mission is to overcome “us vs. them” thinking and solve problems together. We equip people to uncover hidden common ground and build on it – with lasting solutions that reflect the will of the people.

Find Common Ground and Build Real Solutions Together

If enough people adopt a Builders Mindset, we can replace our toxic “us vs. them” culture with one of curiosity, compassion, courage, and creative innovation.

It won’t be easy. The incentives in our media, social algorithms, and politics reward and amplify the conflict entrepreneurs working overtime to divide, diminish, and destroy.

Our approach is to reach and teach people at scale with powerful content, equip them with new skills and innovative tools, and mobilize the growing Builders movement with grassroots civic programs to hold political leaders accountable for being Builders.

Practicing the 4Cs Daily

The Builders mindset is rooted in the 4Cs: curiosity, compassion, courage, and creativity. By adopting these values as daily habits, we promote flexible thinking, constructive problem solving, and respecting the dignity of all people.

It’s time to take action. Join us. Be a Builder.

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  • The Texas Math That Should Bother You
    Texas runoff elections are decided by a tiny slice of voters. Here’s what that really looks like — and why it matters for all of us. Picture 20 people — your coworkers, your neighbors, the regulars at your coffee shop. In a typical Texas runoff election, only one of them votes. The other 19 don’t… The post The Texas Math That Should Bother You appeared first on Builders.
  • Grads: Do you want to be effective, or seen as correct?
    For many, graduation feels like an “arrival” into adulthood. In one sense, it is: walking across the stage and flipping your tassel is, for most, the end of formal education. However, as far as your life—and especially your development—is concerned, graduation isn’t the end. In fact, to paraphrase Churchill (as at my own graduation in… The post Grads: Do you want to be effective, or seen as correct? appeared first on Builders.
  • Build Things That Outlast You
    To the graduates stepping into the world right now: As you begin this next chapter, you are going to hear a lot about disruption, innovation, artificial intelligence, and the future of work. Much of that matters. The world is changing quickly, and your generation will navigate challenges and opportunities no generation before you has faced… The post Build Things That Outlast You appeared first on Builders.
  • DEBUNKED: 4 Myths for Texans to Bust Before the May 26 Runoff
    You showed up for the primary. Now here’s why the runoffs on May 26 matters just as much — if not more — and what you might be getting wrong about them. Every election cycle, myths spread quietly through group chats and social feeds — not always out of bad faith, just confusion. But when… The post DEBUNKED: 4 Myths for Texans to Bust Before the May 26 Runoff appeared first on Builders.
  • Ask a Builder: 4 Tips for Tackling Tough Conversations Over Mother’s Day Brunch
    We’re launching “Ask a Builder” — a new advice column to hear from you about your challenges and how you can address them as a Builder! With Mother’s Day just days away, we’re starting with this note we received from one Builder mom: “As a mother and stepmother of 4 girls and grandmother to 13… The post Ask a Builder: 4 Tips for Tackling Tough Conversations Over Mother’s Day Brunch appeared first on Builders.
  • The Commencement Speech You Never Heard
    Sharon McMahon, a bestselling author and Builders Movement Partner, was supposed to deliver the commencement address at Utah Valley University yesterday. She was ready to return to the campus that was the site of Charlie Kirk’s assassination just months before, and share a unifying message about the resilience of hope. But just days before graduation,… The post The Commencement Speech You Never Heard appeared first on Builders.
  • When the 5th & 8th Largest Economies in the World Come Together
    A Texan in London and Why It Matters for Everyone Back Home Last week, I was in London for something that does not happen every day: the State of Texas officially opened a trade and investment office in the United Kingdom. It was a milestone worth pausing on not just as a point of Texas… The post When the 5th & 8th Largest Economies in the World Come Together appeared first on Builders.
  • 5 Things Conservatives and Liberals Both Want for the Environment
    When most people think of the environment, they think of rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, prairies, and the nature in their own backyard. For some reason, though, politicians think of a culture war.  In the heart of America, there’s still a unified love of the environment and a growing, unified demand for leadership. The reality is… The post 5 Things Conservatives and Liberals Both Want for the Environment appeared first on Builders.
  • Your State’s Primary is Coming Soon. Are You Prepared?
    Did you know that there are votes for 18 Governors, 20 Senators, and 226 Members of Congress this May and June — in elections that most people ignore? The main Election Day might not be until November, but it’s time to tune in today, because primary elections are happening across over half the country in… The post Your State’s Primary is Coming Soon. Are You Prepared? appeared first on Builders.
  • 3 BIG Issues Debated in Texas – Where Agreement is Taking Place
    As the Texas Legislature moves through interim hearings, most Texans never see what’s actually happening behind the scenes. These hearings are not about passing laws. They are about studying the biggest challenges facing our state and preparing solutions for the next session. If you listen closely, these conversations are not just about politics. They are… The post 3 BIG Issues Debated in Texas – Where Agreement is Taking Place appeared first on Builders.
  • A Spring Revival in a Divided World
    A Passover Reflection From Our Founding Partner, Daniel Lubetzky Every year for Passover, we fill four cups to signal God’s redemption of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. We also fill a fifth cup, leave that seat unfilled, and open the door for the prophet Elijah. It represents the redemption that is still to… The post A Spring Revival in a Divided World appeared first on Builders.
  • The 3 People We Become When Someone Corrects Us
    Nobody likes being corrected. Not you. Not me. Not that guy on Facebook who is absolutely certain that the moon landing was filmed in New Zealand. And the way we handle correction (emotionally, reflexively, tribally) is quietly fueling the political dysfunction we claim to hate. In his book Think Again, organizational psychologist and Movement Partner… The post The 3 People We Become When Someone Corrects Us appeared first on Builders.

How to Citizen with Baratunde

By Baratunde Thurston

Recommended by: Bob

Here are some sources of ideas from a podcast by Baratunde Thurston, which began in 2020 and has four seasons of episodes. The overall theme is encouraging thinking about “citizen” as a verb. The four
pillars for doing this are:

  • To participate, not just vote, but to show up for each other and publicly participate by discussing concerns, debating policy choices, advocating, etc.
  • To invest in relationships, by deepening our interconnections with our community, family, neighbors, etc..
  • To understand power, by learning about the fluidity of power and the various ways we the people can use it for our collective benefit.
  • To value the collective, by working towards outcomes that benefit the many, not just the few.

The four seasons of episodes (ranging from 11 to 16 episodes each season) consist of interviews with folks who are thinking about and demonstrating democracy-building activities. It’s a wonderful resource for ideas. They include international, national, statewide, and local leaders.

Podcast Link