New Pluralists

The design and distribution of civic infrastructure may not be the flashiest remedy to the uncertainties we face as a society, but investing in collective settings will help people and communities seek, identify, and implement shared solutions that create the world they need. ICYMI: This 2023 paper, “Searching for a New Paradigm: Collective Settings,” from More in Common and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, produced with support from New Pluralists, highlights the power of everyday democracy as an antidote to polarization.?https://lnkd.in/gysCXqjR

In January, more than 175 leading researchers, practitioners, communicators, and funders from across the pluralism ecosystem met in Atlanta, GA, for Pluralism in Action, a multi-day convening of thought-provoking discussions, fireside chats, and interactive breakouts that explored how pluralism can be infused into our daily lives. New Pluralists Interim Executive Director Liz Vogel reflects on what it meant to gather at a moment of profound change for our country.

As pluralists, we work on topics and with partners with whom we disagree - by design. Working with dissenting voices is, in fact, crucial to advancing our vision. However, pluralism is not neutral. In our work to widen the circle, how do we know who is working in “good faith” in our field? We developed this Ethics Practice guide in 2021 to guide our approach to ethically and morally difficult situations. ICYMI: Learn more about how we apply our values when facing dilemmas. https://lnkd.in/gvBQFi57

When New Pluralists began our work in 2021, the prevailing theory was that pluralism came from the grasstops. Yet, we also saw that it was being practiced – by many names and by different kinds of people –?everywhere. Because the work is called by so many names and no complete database exists of these “Community Pluralists,” one of the first projects we funded empowered ethnographers, anthropologists, researchers, and artists to dig down to the grassroots to show the who, what, why, and how of locally led pluralism in practice. ICYMI: Here is more about our zine “Pockets of Courage.” https://lnkd.in/gJJ2A66h

We are proud to support the Council on Foundations's?"Coming Together, Not Apart: Inside the Work of Turning Conflict Into Collaboration,"?the second of three publications exploring philanthropy's role in collaborating across differences. The report features five case studies, including two of New Pluralists grantees Resetting the Table and StoryCorps in collaboration with More in Common.

And that's a wrap on Pluralism in Action! 3 days; 175+ leading researchers, practitioners, communicators, and funders; dozens of rich plenaries and breakout sessions; thousands of new ideas generated; millions (probably) of Post-It notes used; countless connections made. Thank you to everyone who participated and The Greater Good Science Center,?Over Zero,?More in Common, and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding for planning an incredible event. We're heartened and energized by everything we learned. There will be much more to come -- including insights and artifacts -- just bear with us as we sort through all those Post-Its. https://lnkd.in/gVNhZ8Xx

Attention ecosystem! New reports have been added to the New Pluralists' resource library, including: - Pluralism under Pressure: Assessing the Status of a Core American Value - Growing Pluralism in America: Understanding the Health & Vibrancy of the Pluralism Ecosystem - And case studies of several of our grantee organizations While you are there, you'll notice we've refreshed the website with a user-friendly interface and a clean design. Please have a look around and tell us what you think!

Earlier this month, our Interim Executive Director Liz Vogel traveled to Chicago for the 2024 Obama Foundation Democracy Forum. This year's forum focused on putting pluralism into action, a concept that sits at the core of the work we do every day at New Pluralists. Many speakers (including friends and Field Builders like Eboo Patel and Layla Zaidane) highlighted what we know to be true at our organization: pluralism is resilient enough to meet this moment. Liz wrote about her experience at the forum, noting among other things that? Rachel Kleinfeld’s framing of pluralism has stuck with her the most. Rachel K. told audiences that “Pluralism craves questions and dies without courage.” Read more about the event through Liz’s eyes and be sure to explore the valuable toolkit the Obama Foundation assembled to make the event’s ideas actionable. So many incredible leaders in our ecosystem contributed to the event and toolkit, and we were delighted to be at the table to participate in such a robust conversation about our emerging ecosystem and what we can do to help it flourish.

In the wake of the election, New Pluralists and our funders remain committed to investing in projects that increase our shared capacity to collaborate and solve problems. We are grateful to?Drew Lindsay?for including?Liz Vogel's voice in this piece from?The Chronicle of Philanthropy, alongside our funders from?Stand Together?and?Omidyar Network, as well as perspectives from leaders from across the pluralism ecosystem. Some of those close partners and wise voices include Manu Meel from BridgeUSA, Common Ground , Interfaith America , Andrew Hanauer from One America Movement, Braver Angels, john powell from Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, More in Common, Kristen Cambell from Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE), and Charlie Brown from Trust for Civic Life. With the heated rhetoric leading up to the election and the changing demographic coalitions revealed by the results, the philanthropy space and civil society need pluralism now more than ever.?

After much reflection, Uma Viswanathan is stepping away from her role as Executive Director of New Pluralists. She writes, "I am confident that now is the right time for fresh leadership to build off the foundation I helped create. The organization is in a stable place, ready to bring to fruition a strategic vision and focused mandate, powered by insights and relationships we’ve generated over the past three years." Her last day is Thursday, October 31, after which Liz Vogel, our current Director of Philanthropic Engagement, will serve as our Interim Executive Director. To learn more, read Uma's farewell blog. https://lnkd.in/gPpeSGgq