The Power of Bridging

A bold guide for connecting across difference—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."

About the Author

John A. Powell is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties, racial identity, fair housing, poverty, and democracy. He is director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, where he also holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor's Chair in Equity and Inclusion and is professor of Law, African American Studies, and Ethnic Studies. He is the author of Racing to Justice, and is cofounder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council.