In a divided nation, let's learn the new secrets of connection

At least two or three times a week, I check in with Drew Lindsay , senior editor at The Chronicle of Philanthropy , who is leading a fascinating new journalism initiative called "The Commons."

With a mix of case studies and analytic overviews, Drew is hunting for ways that civil society can heal itself. He's the measured optimist, in the face of endless headlines about polarization and concern that our nation is trying to tear itself apart.

What I like about these conversations is that Drew keeps finding unexpected examples that work. In April, he surfaced this remarkable story of L.B. Prevette, a Wilkes County, N.C. bartender and community activist. She defies coastal stereotypes of Appalachia, and she's helping everyone from food pantries to speech pathologists.

Can poultry farmers and animal activists get along? It's tricky but not hopeless, as this feature by Marc Gunther in The Commons reports. For that matter, can major donors do anything to heal rifts in the areas they support -- instead of splitting into competing tribes that fuel an arms race with bitter opponents? Talks are under way .

As Drew and his team keep developing this initiative, three insights stand out:

• Establishing face-to-face contact is vital. No matter how vast differences may seem from afar, once there's a way to meet quietly in a respectful setting, it's hard to hate up close.
• Progress happens by building unlikely coalitions . Instead of a vast agenda that fuels an us-versus-them mentality, look for ways to engage neutral players, such as faith groups, that may share some of your values. The payoff: a tighter focus on what's achievable.
• We're more united than we think. Yes, clashes over issues such as border security run deep. Those quarrels constantly gain media attention. But pollster George Barna finds that voters across the red-to-blue spectrum join hands on issues such as reviving the manufacturing workforce, improving national infrastructure or safeguarding Social Security.

Case in point: earlier this month, at a high-school reunion, I was chatting with Joan Meier , a scholar at 美国乔治·华盛顿大学 who has done extraordinary work on behalf of people at risk of domestic violence. There's been a heartening upturn in state legislatures' willingness to strengthen legal protections in this area, she says, in ways that transcend any red/blue distinctions.

In my new role as editor at large at The Chronicle of Philanthropy, I'll be teaming up with Drew from time to time to edit (or research and write) some articles for The Commons. I'll also be using this newsletter to provide updates on the Chronicle's work, especially as it connects to your interests as a subscriber to "The Wider Good."

Meanwhile, I'd encourage you to check out this link to The Commons 's work, and to subscribe to Philanthropy Today , a free email newsletter that shares the Chronicle's latest coverage. There's already a LinkedIn Group centered on The Commons's work. What's more, a just-for-LinkedIn edition of The Commons's newsletter is in the mix, and you can subscribe to it here .