Talking Sense

MPR News and the nonprofit organization Braver Angels have created Talking Sense to help Minnesotans have hard conversations, better.

Talking Sense is a reporting project that explores the roots of polarization in communities, families and homes, and looks at how Minnesotans are navigating these divisive times. It’s also a series of live events and online tools that help Minnesotans have challenging political conversations without letting the need to change minds stand in the way of preserving important relationships. 

Has political polarization affected your family or community? Send us your Talking Sense story at talk@mprnews.org

Love is political? ‘Love is Blind’ Minneapolis season centers politics more than ever
Production of season eight took place in early 2024 while primaries were still underway for the presidential election. During the pods, participants had in-depth conversations about the LGBTQ+ community, the murder of George Floyd, religion and more.
In polarized times, these Minnesota legislators want to restore civility at the state Capitol
This year’s legislative session started with a lot of vitriol between DFLers and Republicans. But a bipartisan group of legislators is trying to get both sides to be more collaborative and civil.
An Ely group agrees on the value of the Boundary Waters — but they can’t agree on mining
Whether they’re conservative or liberal, people in Ely seem to agree on one thing: they love the Boundary Waters. What they can’t seem to agree on, though, is whether copper-nickel mining would endanger those beloved lakes.
Rattled by politics? Try some sweet potato pie
Rose McGee, the founder of the Twin Cities nonprofit Sweet Potato Comfort Pie, hopes her comfort food will help people connect and have meaningful conversations around hard topics like race.
Minneapolis police, Black men find common ground in Alabama’s past
MPR News host Angela Davis presents an audio documentary about her experiences traveling to Montgomery, Ala., with a group of Minneapolis police officers and Black community members seeking to build trust.
Talking Sense: How does news media contribute to political polarization?  
MPR News guest host Catharine Richert and her guests talk about how the news media contributes to political polarization by stoking mistrust and reinforcing stereotypes.
Civil rights expert: How to bridge Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Trump’s inauguration
Civil rights expert john a. powell, author of the recently published book “The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong,” addresses the dual occasions of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration day and how to bridge the two.
A new lesson in higher education: Being OK with uncomfortable conversations
Colleges around the country have been taking heat for being too politically correct and stifling robust political debate. At the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the faculty is trying to tackle that problem. 
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