Team Democracy, founded in the wake of January 6 by former whitewater rafting leader Ken Powley and partner Chris Newlon, seeks to counter America’s deepening partisan divides by strengthening shared democratic values rather than enforcing political agreement. Drawing on the co-founders’ bipartisan partnership, the organization advances three interconnected initiatives: Principles for Trusted Elections, which promotes fair and transparent voting; a Civics Credentialing Program that equips citizens for informed participation; and R.A.F.T., a dialogue-based effort that brings people with opposing political views together to build understanding and trust. Their work aligns with broader civic engagement efforts by emphasizing structural integrity, civic education, and human connection as essential elements of a healthy democracy, offering practical tools and strategies for bridging divides in communities, organizations, and families alike.

Holiday gatherings often expose long-standing family tensions, but Essential Partners—an organization rooted in family therapy and public dialogue—offers strategies to foster more meaningful conversations across deep differences. Their Reflective Structured Dialogue approach encourages people to clarify their goals, seek personal stories behind political views, speak from their own experience, allow silence to slow reactive patterns, and trust their instincts about when to engage or step away. While these practices won’t resolve conflicts overnight, they can gradually transform divisive moments into opportunities for curiosity, dignity, and connection.

Generation Vote Education Fund has been named the 2025 Aicher Impact Award winner for its national, youth-led work to strengthen democracy through voting rights, public education, leadership development, and election protection. Presented by Everyday Democracy, the award honors organizations advancing inclusive, multiracial democracy at the local level and reflects founder Paul J. Aicher’s legacy of community-driven dialogue and engagement. This year’s highly participatory selection process highlighted the growing momentum behind Generation Vote’s intersectional approach, which centers young people and communities of color in reimagining civic participation and building accountable, justice-oriented democratic spaces.

​The Global Citizens' Assembly—organized by Mediators Beyond Borders International and the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition—will bring together 105 randomly selected participants to deliberate on global food systems from January to March 2026, supported locally by newly recruited Community Hosts. These hosts, working from late October 2025 through early March 2026, will help ensure equitable participation by providing technological, logistical, and cultural support, especially in regions such as Moscow, Sevastopol, Jeddah, northern Honshu, eastern Uzbekistan, Weno, and select U.S. counties. Designed around 14 small-group sessions that foster deep dialogue and relationship-building, the Assembly aims to model more inclusive, globally connected democratic decision-making. Those interested in becoming Community Hosts are encouraged to contact [email protected] by 5 PM ET on Monday, December 8th.

​This article highlights lessons from three National Issues Forums Institute–connected research projects that examine how communities can effectively deliberate on environmental challenges in ways that lead to meaningful, locally guided action. Through examples from Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, and other Southern states, the piece shows that successful environmental deliberation requires centering participants’ lived experiences, responding flexibly to community needs, and ensuring discussions connect to real decision-making pathways. It emphasizes the importance of adapting processes—such as shifting from deliberation to dialogue when communities need more sensemaking—and underscores how building local leadership strengthens trust, accessibility, and long-term impact. Together, these insights point to the value of community-rooted, action-oriented deliberation that aligns with existing structures and amplifies local knowledge and leadership.

NCDD welcomes Peter Schutz to its Board of Directors, recognizing his decades-long commitment to strengthening democracy through small-group dialogue in New Jersey. Blending technical expertise with a deep dedication to human connection, Peter has spent more than 30 years creating spaces where everyday citizens can explore complex issues, listen across differences, and build shared understanding. His work as an engineer, mediator, counselor, and discussion group leader reflects a lifelong belief that democratic renewal grows from authentic, community-level engagement. As he joins the board, Peter brings extensive practical experience, values rooted in justice and inclusion, and a conviction that ordinary people can shape their collective future—contributions that will enrich NCDD’s mission to advance dialogue and deliberation nationwide.

The Sustained Dialogue Institute’s January 7–9, 2025, three-session training series offers community members a comprehensive introduction to Sustained Dialogue, a relationship-centered peacebuilding process designed to help groups move through conflict toward collaborative action. Rooted in a five-stage methodology developed by Dr. Harold Saunders, the training equips facilitators with skills in deep listening, emotional regulation, equitable facilitation, and crafting questions that foster understanding across differences. Accessible to participants of varied backgrounds and experience levels, the workshop models inclusive learning practices while preparing graduates to co-facilitate dialogue groups and join a supportive practitioner network. Ultimately, the series strengthens local democratic capacity by helping communities build the relationships needed to address complex issues constructively.

Public Agenda’s December 3, 2024, virtual session examines how community colleges in Texas, California, and Illinois are advancing economic mobility through equity-centered practices that help low-income students navigate complex systems and achieve their goals. Drawing on recent case studies, the event highlights both effective programs and the shared principles that make them replicable across diverse contexts, positioning community colleges as vital engines of opportunity and civic infrastructure. Participants will engage with the findings through facilitated dialogue, connecting insights to their own communities and exploring how deliberative practices can strengthen educational equity and economic well-being.

The Viewpoints Project, founded by Shira Hoffer, empowers young people to transform disagreement into connection by approaching conflict with curiosity rather than avoidance. Rooted in Hoffer’s personal experiences with constructive dialogue and her academic study of speech and controversy, the organization addresses growing polarization through student-led, research-backed programs in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. Their practical strategies—such as intentional listening, exploring underlying interests, framing open-ended questions, and reaffirming common ground—equip students and families alike to navigate difficult conversations with empathy and openness. As holidays like Thanksgiving bring both togetherness and tension, The Viewpoints Project offers a vision in which disagreement becomes an opportunity for understanding, strengthening relationships, and cultivating the democratic skills vital to a healthy society.

The National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation has welcomed Lara Schwartz to its board, recognizing her deep expertise in fostering constructive conversations across differences. As Founding Director of the American University Project on Civic Dialogue, Schwartz has spent over a decade teaching students practical skills for engaging meaningfully across political and social divides, work that reflects her broader career in coalition-building across the civil rights sector. Her philosophy—centered on moving from adversarial debate toward exploratory dialogue—aligns closely with NCDD’s mission, and her experience training facilitators, developing innovative dialogue programs, and navigating complex political environments positions her to help strengthen the field at a moment of rising polarization and democratic strain.