Braver Angels of West Central Illinois

04/19/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Skills for Disagreeing Better workshop on Saturday! This is the first time that we here at West Central Illinois Braver Angels presented it. Participants learned the BA approach to taking polarizing, unproductive political arguments and trying to turn them into productive, depolarizing conversations.

We're always looking for more opportunities to present the Braver Angels approach to depolarizing our political culture. If you or your group would like us to provide an introduction or perhaps have us run this workshop, in addition to another called Depolarizing Ourselves, just reach out!

03/16/2026

If you're looking for Braver Angels workshops before our next local one on April 18, the national Braver Angels organization has a number to choose from! This one might be of particular interest, depending on why you have sought out Braver Angels.

Note that national Braver Angels uses Eventbrite to manage its events. You'll sign up for a free admission. If you want to donate to Braver Angels, you can sign up for a paid admission, but it's not required.

Family relationships can be casualties of a toxic political environment. Preserve important family bonds while staying true to your values.

03/12/2026

Join us for our second workshop - Skills for Disagreeing Better!

You’ll learn how to have more productive conversations on tough subjects and get a chance to practice it with others.

This is sort of a part 2 to the Depolarizing Ourselves workshop, but it’s not necessary to have taken that workshop first.

Registrations will be limited to 21 people.

We’ll prioritize people who attended the Depolarizing Ourselves workshop a couple weeks ago.

We had to move to the morning because of room availability.

To rsvp, email us at [email protected]

Thanks!

03/10/2026

Out of 25 countries, Americans are the most likely to see their fellow Americans as morally bad people. Are we really worse than anywhere else, or are we being led to think that? Braver Angels looks to counter this kind of polarization. Join up with us as we work to counter the forces of division.

Across 25 countries, Americans are the most likely to see the morality and ethics of people in their country as somewhat or very bad.

03/06/2026

Looking to get a feel for what Braver Angels is about? WTTW in Chicago recently featured BA Illinois state coordinator Maryanne Colter in a segment of its series "Firsthand: Democracy". Check it out!

Whether debating issues, teaching college students to disagree civilly, or toning down partisanship in church basements, Braver Angels volunteer Maryanne Colter acts on the belief that everyone can address divisiveness. Her goal is not to change Americans’ views of issues, but their views of each ...

03/04/2026

On this day, in 1861, Abraham Lincoln delivered his first inaugural address. The conclusion of that address served as the inspiration for the name of Braver Angels, when he implored Americans, who were far more divided than we are now, to remember the "better angels" of our nature.

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th president of the United States on March 4, 1861. In his inauguration speech, Lincoln...