Braver Angels Event: "COVID Pandemic Policy Conversation" & "Trust the Science"

About this Event:
Join Braver Angels on September 5th at Temple University's SERC Building (1925 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122) for a moderated conversation on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers will include Dr. Maciej Boni and David Zweig. Dr. Boni is an infectious disease epidemiologist and a Professor of Biology at Temple University in Philadelphia who spent the COVID pandemic advising several state Departments of Health and his local school board on optimal pandemic response policies. David Zweig is a journalist best known for his series of investigative articles challenging contemporary responses to the pandemic, particularly school closures and mask mandates in schools, and he expanded those criticism for his book, An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decision (2025)**. **Their conversation will be moderated by Braver Angels' Wilk Wilkinson, Director of Media Systems & Operations.

In-person attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions. You can also reserve a livestream ticket for this portion of the event.

Following the discussion, stick around for a social hour and finish the evening with a local community debate on Resolved: Trust the Science*,* chaired by Jessie Manisto, Braver Angels' Director of Debates. Listen to speeches for or against the resolution*—*and then share your own, if you feel so moved.

## Agenda:

- 5:15 PM: Doors Open
- 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM: "A COVID Pandemic Policy Conversation"
- 6:45 PM - 7:30 PM: Social
- 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Local Community Debate - "Resolved: Trust the Science"

Registering for the Online Debate:
This is a FREE event; however, you will need to register for it. Go to the following Eventbrite link & fill out the registration form:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-covid-pandemic-policy-conversation-registration-1556688821169?aff=oddtdtcreator

Registration for this debate will be closed 12 hours prior to the scheduled starting time. Check your email for the confirmation message with the Zoom link - if you don't see it, check your "Junk" folder.

• Note: Braver Angels events may be recorded, and may be shared with media or used in Braver Angels publications, including web pages. Participants who object to this may disable their video.

What is "Braver Angels"?
Formerly known as "Better Angels", Braver Angels is an organization founded in 2016 to depolarize American politics through grassroots organizing. They do this primarily by hosting events for cross-partisan dialogue & civil debate. To learn more, go to https://braverangels.org/

About Braver Angels debates:
A Braver Angels debate is about the heart as much as the head. It's a highly structured conversation in which a group of people think together, listen to one another carefully and with curiosity, and allow themselves to be touched by each other’s ideas. It's not a political debate, nor is it like your high school debate club. It's our own depolarizing debate system, and it works best when we embrace our uncertainty and parse the shades of grey together. When we manage to do this, we walk out of a Braver Angels debate a little closer to the truth, more aware of the sincere and sympathetic feelings of our political opponents, with our relationships a little stronger.

To learn more about Braver Angels debates, you can take a look at the quick start guide and this video about the spirit of a Braver Angels Debate. For further information, including to find additional upcoming events or view recordings of some of the past debates, please visit: https://braverangels.org/what-we-do/debates/.