Convergence Center for Policy Resolution

10/21/2026

Ask voters about what’s broken in politics, and you’ll hear “corruption” far more often than “polarization.” 💡

Next week in Convergence Corner, Jenna Shrove, Managing Director at AlphaROC and a member of Convergence’s Leadership Council, digs into more than 46,000 open-ended responses from AlphaROC’s HingeVoter study.

In “Divided Over Who Leads, Agreed on What Needs Fixing,” Jenna explores:

📊 The everyday pressures voters share across party lines
📰 Where voters in every party place their trust
🗳️ Why frustration with your own party could open the door to dialogue

Subscribe to Convergence Corner so it lands in your inbox next week: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/convergence-corner-7010645900607860736/

10/15/2026

A legacy gift has the power to carry our values forward, opening doors to new people and new possibilities for years to come. 💛

A beloved teacher, dean, and leader in conflict resolution, Dave Lipsky holds a special place among Convergence’s earliest champions. His steadfast dedication to Convergence included generous support for our internship program, equipping young leaders with the tools and mentorship needed to bring people together across differences. Today, through his estate, that commitment lives on.

We honor Dave, and we thank every donor who supports collaborative problem-solving today, tomorrow, and for the next generation.

🌱 Oct. 19–25 is National Estate Planning Awareness Week, an annual reminder to review or establish plans for the future. Explore how your legacy can build a more collaborative future. DM us or email [email protected] to learn about planned giving options, or make a gift today at convergencepolicy.org/donate!

10/14/2026

For many in the bridging and pluralism field, the last decade has been devoted to building relationships and solving problems across divides. That work matters as much as ever, and it also depends on the civic ground beneath it: independent institutions, free expression, and free and fair elections.

Convergence CEO and President Mariah Levison and Senior Director of Research and Programs Monika Glowacki joined colleagues from Interfaith America, New Pluralists, Cohesion Strategy LLC, and Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) in an open letter in Democracy Notes about what that means for the field.

As they put it: "We need to keep building bridges, but we must also protect the ground on which those bridges stand." Organizations need “better infrastructure as an ecosystem for deciding when and how to act,” and they need it ahead of the moments that test it.

A thoughtful read on building the relationships, tools, and mutual support to act together where we agree and stay connected where we don’t:

An open letter

10/08/2026

📚 A community college English instructor in Indiana who swapped debate for dialogue in his classroom. A former Senate staffer and USAID civil servant on what confirmation bias can cost us. A Marine veteran who flew in the presidential helicopter squadron on his parents' journey from India. A college student on how algorithms shape the way we see each other.

These are just a few of the voices behind Convergence Corner. Our authors span generations, careers, regions, politics, and life stories, and each one writes about what it takes to solve problems with people who see the world differently. 🔍

‼️You won't always agree with every author. That's the point.

🔔Subscribe and get each new piece in your feed → https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/convergence-corner-7010645900607860736/

✍️Have a story about working across differences? Pitch us →https://convergencepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Convergence-Corner-Submission-Guidelines.pdf

Thank you to our authors: Carson Browning, Jim Purekal, Frieda Arenos, Beth Klein Miller, Gabriel Herrera, Alexandra C., Khalil A. Cumberbatch, Marc Levin, Lynn Schoch, Steven M. Kayman, Mariah Levison, Monika Glowacki, Caryn Hederman, Stuart M Butler, PhD, and Preeti Kulkarni. 🌟

10/06/2026

What do voter confidence, sports fandom, and faith communities have in common? More than you might think 🤝. Each one offers a path to building trust and connection across differences.

Explore a few resources on civic engagement and community, featured in the latest edition of Convergence Connection:

🗳️ Better Choices for Democracy: New Survey Data on Voter Confidence
⚽ More in Common: How Sports Fandom Fosters Connection
📗 Interfaith America: A Civic Engagement Playbook for Faith-Based and Civic Groups

What are some tools you've been exploring? Share below ⬇️

📬 Subscribe to our newsletter to get curated resources and insights delivered to your inbox: https://mailchi.mp/6b3e7b3c204d/convergenceupdates

10/01/2026

Trust creates room for honest conversation, even when we see things differently. It helps us listen with curiosity, understand where others are coming from, and find possibilities for working together.🤝

In our most recent newsletter, Convergence Board Member and GoFundMe Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer Margaret L. Richardson reflects on the importance of staying engaged across differences and the possibilities that can emerge when we do.

📩 Subscribe to our newsletter for more insights from Convergence ➡️ https://mailchi.mp/6b3e7b3c204d/convergenceupdates

09/25/2026

Convergence Connection is headed to your inbox next week! 📨

Open for:

🧩 Emerging solutions from our Collaboratives across the country

🌟 ️A new national effort equipping local leaders with collaborative problem-solving skills

💬 Reflections on trust, division, and finding common ground

👋 A warm welcome to the newest member of our Board of Directors

🌱 A powerful story about legacy, generosity, and the lasting impact of giving

🏈 New resources exploring everything from sports and belonging to confidence in our elections

Haven’t been receiving our newsletters and emails? Subscribe on our website 🌐 https://mailchi.mp/6b3e7b3c204d/convergenceupdates

09/21/2026

Join us in welcoming Bradford Fitch to the Convergence Board of Directors!

Over the course of his 40-year career in Washington, he has worked as a journalist, congressional aide, consultant, entrepreneur, college instructor, and author.

He currently is an adjunct professor at The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management and serves as a consultant for democracy reform organizations.

Brad is the former CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), where he spent 14 years helping strengthen the relationship between citizens and Congress. A leading trainer of citizen-advocates, Brad has helped more than 50,000 Americans develop the skills to engage effectively with their elected officials.

He brings deep expertise in civic engagement, communications, and strengthening the connections between people and the institutions that serve them.

We’re excited to welcome Brad’s decades of experience strengthening civic engagement to our work ahead!

09/18/2026

🌱 When distrust takes root in our politics, institutions, and neighborhoods, what can each of us do to restore hope?

That question brought members of the Convergence community together recently for coffee, conversation, and a thoughtful discussion about trust, division, and what it takes to find solutions on critical issues across difference.

Convergence Executive Vice President Beth Klein Miller opened by sharing a tension at the heart of the conversation: distrust runs deep, yet people still want to work across differences.

💡 Beth offered five everyday choices that can build trust: listening before making assumptions, communicating honestly, following through on commitments, engaging perspectives different from our own, and staying at the table when things get uncomfortable.

Then, Art Taylor, Convergence Board Chair and President & CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), facilitated a conversation with fellow Board members Ed Goeas, President & CEO of The Tarrance Group, and Margaret Richardson, Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer at GoFundMe.

Margaret shared a story from her work on criminal justice reform that changed the way she thought about people who see an issue differently. She found herself working alongside people she might never have expected to be in the same room with. They cared about the issue for very different reasons, but discovered they could still work toward something together.

Ed reflected on his own experiences in politics and the relationships he built across political differences, offering another perspective on what can happen when we resist the instinct to see the other person as an opponent first.

Mariah Levison, Convergence CEO & President, brought those stories back to the work at the heart of Convergence: building the trust and relationships that can make it possible to tackle problems that have remained stuck.

🗳️With the midterms ahead and distrust running deep, that feels like a conversation worth continuing.

📬 Want to stay connected and experience conversations like this? Sign up for the Convergence newsletter for updates on upcoming events, ideas, and opportunities to engage: https://mailchi.mp/6b3e7b3c204d/convergenceupdates

09/18/2026

Are you passionate about creative storytelling, digital media, and bringing people together across divides to solve problems?

💼 Join Convergence as a Communications & Digital Media Intern for Fall 2026!

Gain hands-on experience working on communications projects related to real-world challenges, grow your portfolio, and develop skills you can carry into your career while learning alongside a team working to turn dialogue into action.

As an intern, you’ll:

✨ Create content for social media, digital platforms, and events
✍️ Learn to communicate complex issues in clear, engaging ways
🎥 Develop your skills in video, visual storytelling, and digital media
💡 Bring your ideas to a collaborative team that values fresh perspectives
🤝 Explore how communications can help bring people together across divides

Ready to grow your skills and contribute to a more collaborative future? We are hiring ASAP!🚨 Apply through our careers page today! https://convergencepolicy.org/careers/