Wisconsin Group Successfully Engages Conservatives in Bridge-Building Efforts

Bridging Political Divides in Wisconsin

• 🎯 Urban Rural Action is a nonprofit working to bring people together across political and geographic divides, focusing on community improvement projects.
• 💡 The group successfully engages more conservatives in their efforts, defying a common trend where such initiatives often attract more liberal participants.

Challenges in Engaging Conservatives

• ⚠️ A significant challenge for bridging groups is the lack of conservative voices, who may feel silenced, dismissed, or canceled for their beliefs.
• 📉 Studies, like one from Braver Angels, show a disproportionate number of Democrats (over 50%) compared to Republicans (15%) participating in bridging initiatives.
• 🗣️ There's a fear among conservatives that their perspectives are not genuinely wanted in these dialogue spaces.

Strategies for Conservative Engagement

• 🔑 Maryann Zimmerman, a conservative participant, was drawn in by the group's clear action plans and focus on tangible community improvements, rather than just talk.
• 💬 The language used by bridging groups is crucial; terms like "equity" and "racism" can be unproductive and signal a left-leaning bias, deterring conservatives.
• ✨ Instead of triggering terms, the group uses phrases like "bring folks together from all different walks of life" or explains their work in longer form.

Impact and Outcomes

• 🤝 Collaboration led to better outcomes and appreciation for diverse perspectives, as seen when Zimmerman learned about the impact of defunding on families.
• 🧠 Participants like Tyler Surface found that brainstorming across political lines widened their thinking and improved their ability to communicate across differences.
• 📈 The initiative aims to promote less violence and more security by fostering understanding and communication, demonstrating a profound effect on participants and programs.