The Power of Bridging

How to Build a World Where We All Belong

De: john a. powell

Narrado por: john a. powell

A bold guide for connecting across differences—even those that seem impossible

“Wise and visionary, powell helps us find the courage to forge connections with others, the earth, and ourselves in order to transform the world from the inside out.” —Valarie Kaur, bestselling author of See No Stranger and Sage Warrior

We don’t want to live in a society in turmoil. In fact, 93 percent of people in the US want to reduce divisiveness, and 86 percent believe it’s possible to disagree in a healthy way. Yet with increasing political and social fragmentation, many of us don’t know how to move past our differences. Civil rights scholar john a. powell presents an actionable path through “bridging” that helps us communicate, coexist, and imagine a new story for our shared future where we all belong.

With inimitable warmth and vision, powell offers a framework for building cohesion and solidarity between disparate beliefs and backgrounds. Bridging is more than a discrete list of actions to follow—it’s a mindset we can develop to help us foster belonging and connection. Key elements of the bridging mindset include:

• Understanding how deeply “othering” shapes our world, priming us to see difference of any kind—race, gender, political orientation, etcetera—as a threat
• Identifying where “breaking” happens, when people are excluded or treated differently for being perceived as other
• Embracing “belonging” as one of our core human needs—we all want to feel seen, valued, and appreciated just as we are
• Committing ourselves to treat all people like they belong
• Allowing ourselves grace when we inevitably fall short—and resolving to try again

Throughout the book, powell shares personal reflections as well as practices to help you begin bridging wherever you are—in your community, friendships, family, workplace—even with those whom you might never have imagined you could find common ground.

“Bridging is a salve for our fractured world,” powell says. “We can overcome the illusion of separateness by honoring our differences, transcending the notion that difference divides us, and instead cocreate a world where everyone belongs.”

Great ideas fit for our time

The author's thesis is both profound and simple. His approach allows us to see the humanity of others and stop turning them into the "other".

The book is great! But the author is not a great narrator. I recommend actually reading this yourself, rather than listening to the audio.

Wisdom for our time

Speaking with his wise and authentic voice, the inestimable john a. powell lights the way forward for connecting vision to practice for our longed-for American dream.