Why This Matters

Racism damages health, weakens civic trust, and fractures communities. The Center's facilitated dialogues build shared language and listening skills, helping people examine racial conditioning, heal harm, and take collaborative action across lines of difference.

Frientimacy: The 3 Requirements of All Healthy Friendships” by Shasta Nelson
TEDx Talk | 16 min video
A powerful and funny talk by our very own Chief Friendship Officer that breaks down what makes friendships meaningful and how to strengthen the ones you have.

Generational divisions are deepening just when collaboration is needed most. CoGenerate addresses this by building intergenerational bridges that spark innovation, expand belonging, and nurture mutual understanding—offering a replicable model of age-integrated social progress.

Contempt-driven language erodes trust, escalates division, and fuels extremism. The Dignity Index offers a practical, measurable approach to create a new standard in public dialogue—centered on mutual respect and possibility.

Good Good Good offers more than a break from the bad news—it’s a compass for building civic resilience. Their radical transparency, editorial integrity, and community-first values create a roadmap for how media can heal rather than harm.

Leadership Houston is one of the city’s premier civic leadership programs, dedicated to educating and connecting leaders who are passionate about making a difference. Since 1982, it has brought together professionals from every sector to explore Houston’s most pressing issues, engage with decision-makers, and build lasting relationships across industries and ideologies. The goal? To create a more informed, inspired, and civically active Houston.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit think tank and leadership organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute convenes leaders across sectors to tackle the world’s most complex challenges through dialogue, research, and action. With a strong belief in values-based leadership, the Aspen Institute creates space for bold ideas, civil discourse, and meaningful impact.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with locations across the U.S. and abroad, Aspen serves as a neutral ground where changemakers collaborate on solutions across lines of difference.

Ben McBride’s Troubling the Water is both a personal testimony and a public call to action—a deeply spiritual, emotionally honest, and politically relevant work that challenges the reader to live differently.

ALF Houston, the Houston/Gulf Coast chapter of the American Leadership Forum, brings together diverse leaders across sectors to build deeper trust, engage in courageous conversations, and lead collaborative change in the region. Their mission is to join and strengthen diverse leaders to serve the common good—transforming individual leadership journeys into a network of collective impact.

The Chamber of Connection is a nonpartisan initiative working to transform the culture of politics by strengthening human relationships among elected leaders. With a focus on curiosity, connection, and collaboration, the Chamber brings together state legislators—across party lines—to build trust, reduce polarization, and develop the skills needed to govern with integrity and empathy.

The Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at UC Berkeley bridges the gap between scientific research and everyday life, helping people apply the science of compassion, connection, and well-being to build stronger communities and a more empathetic world. Since 2001, GGSC has been a trusted source of research-backed insights on how to live a more connected, resilient, and purpose-driven life—at home, at work, and in society.

Search for Common Ground is the world’s largest dedicated peacebuilding organization, working to end violent conflict through dialogue, collaboration, and shared goals. Founded in 1982, their mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict—moving from adversarial approaches to cooperative solutions. Operating in more than 30 countries, Search brings together people across political, cultural, and religious divides to resolve conflict and build lasting peace.