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

A rabbi and his son mourn Oct. 7 victims, disagree on next steps
When Hamas attacked Israel a year ago, differences between a rabbi and his son’s views on Israel’s conduct became more pronounced. Here’s how they continued to talk about the conflict and learn from each other. 
Talking Sense: How to connect with people you disagree with
How do you connect with someone who disagrees with you? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how to navigate conflict despite differences in beliefs, life experiences and you guessed it...politics.
Soomaalida St. Cloud waxay rabaan in ay ka dhex muuqdaan siyaasadda, laakiin iyaga oo dhan isku aragti ma aha
In ka badan labaatameeyo sano ka hor ayey qaxootigan oo ka soo jeeda Bariga Afrika soo dageen St. Cloud, oo qaarkood ayaa raadinaya in ay door ku yeeshaan maamulka iyo siyaasadda.
 St. Cloud Somali community seeks political influence, but not all share same views
More than two decades since the first East African refugees settled in St. Cloud, some community members are seeking a more active role in government and politics. But their political views are varied.
Can Winona County turn around its lagging voter turnout? These people are working to do that
Early voting begins Friday across Minnesota. And organizers in Winona County, which has some of the lowest voter turnout in the state, are uniting for one cause: not a specific candidate or political party, but simply registering people to vote.
‘This is rehearsal for life’: Mixed Blood Theatre takes on thorny topics
Discussions of political topics, even among like-minded people, can be difficult. And finding a neutral place to have them can be even harder. As part of our Talking Sense series, reporter Jacob Aloi goes to a Minneapolis theater company creating a space for these conversations, through food and performance.
Has political polarization challenged relationships in your life? A Minnesota couple in a politically mixed marriage talks with two therapists and MPR News correspondent Catharine Richert about how to stay connected with family and friends, even when you disagree about politics.
How a liberal and a conservative became friends, despite being ’wrong about everything’
Javier Morillo and Amy Koch couldn’t see politics more differently. And yet the two have grown from being political adversaries to close friends during one of the most polarized moments in American history.