About us

Braver Angels of Southern California (So-Cal) is working in our local communities by holding workshops, debates and public presentations designed to bridge the polarizing political divide we experience in our country. These events allow conservatives and progressives to get past the destructive stereotypes so we can have civil conversations about real issues that lead to productive problem-solving.

Who We Are

Founded after the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. Our organization started off with the name Better Angels, which comes from Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address (1861), urging divided Americans to appeal to their nobler instincts for unity, and refers to our innate, positive qualities like empathy, reason, and self-control that guide us toward cooperation rather than conflict. We changed our name to Braver Angels, as our organization promotes Courageous Citizenship, and to do this work, engaging in difficult discussions, requires acts of bravery.
We are a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the partisan divide in America, address increasing political polarization and foster understanding between differing political perspectives.
BA Conducts workshops, debates, and events where "red" (conservative) and "blue" (liberal) participants engage in structured dialogues to understand each other's positions and discover shared values.

Our Mission
We inspire and equip Americans to practice courageous citizenship across political differences through skill-building, convening, and collaborative action.

Our Vision
We envision an America where courageous citizenship is the honored norm, renewing civic culture and building trust across political differences.

Our Approach

As individuals, we try to understand the other side's point of view, even if we do not agree with it.
In our communities, we engage those we disagree with, looking for common ground and ways to work together.
In politics, we support principles that bring us together rather than divide us.

The Braver Angels Rule
We’re guided by the rule that Red and Blue leaders are equally represented at every level of organizational guidance. Our members range from working class to affluent and come from many backgrounds. Our constant striving is to be an organization reflective of the country we seek to serve.

The Braver Angels Way
We state our views freely and fully, without fear.
We treat people who disagree with us with honesty, dignity and respect.
We welcome opportunities to engage those with whom we disagree.
We believe all of us have blind spots and none of us are not worth talking to.
We seek to disagree accurately, avoiding exaggeration and stereotypes.
We look for common ground where it exists and, if possible, find ways to work together.
We believe that, in disagreements, both sides share and learn.
In Braver Angels, neither side is teaching the other or giving feedback on how to think or say things differently.

Please reach out to individual Alliances for more information about activities and volunteer opportunities in your area. For general Braver Angels information please visit https://braverangels.org. Be part of the solution not the problem.

Disclaimer:
Views expressed by individual events do not imply an endorsement by Braver Angels or individual participating organizations. The views and opinions expressed by any guest speaker, participant or outside organization are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Braver Angels in general.