On the Other Hand

In part 2 of our conversation with Doug Teschner and Beth Malow, Braver Angels national leaders and authors of a new book ("Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times,") April and Glen explore the role of "conflict entrepreneurs" (Amanda Ripley's term) who profit from or actively seek to divide Americans. They point out the importance of people unde...

April and Glen have a conversation with fellow Braver Angels and national leaders Doug Teschner and Beth Malow, whose new book, "Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times," revolves around addressing the increasing political polarization and divisiveness in the United States and offering practical steps to foster positive relationships and civil di...

In part 2 of our conversation with Sharon Downs, she outlines a variety of practical strategies and societal trends related to communication and bullying. We unpack the bystander effect, a phenomenon that often prevents intervention in bullying situations, and we learn about the "five D's" of intervention—a practical toolkit for anyone who wants to help when someone is being bullied. We also examine how social media and political ...

Join us in this first of two episodes of our conversation with Sharon Downs, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UA Little Rock. Sharon's professional focus is on wellness and promoting inclusivity, and she is also an expert in addressing bullying. She shares her personal journey, from her early experiences with bullying to her pioneering work in establishing safe zone training at UA Little...

In the second part of our conversation with Providence Park for Homeless leaders Errin Stanger and Mandy Davis, we delve into how they envision long-term success and thriving communities. A fascinating aspect is the introduction of "missionals" – individuals who live alongside residents, offering friendship and support, acting as the "secret sauce" of the neighborhood. You'll also hear about their plans...

Are you curious about transforming homelessness and building vibrant communities? Check out part 1 of this conversation, where April and substitute co-host John O’Brien chat with Errin Stanger & Mandy Davis of Providence Park, a 50-acre planned community dedicated to providing permanent, affordable housing and a supportive environment for individuals transitioning from chronic homelessness in Centra...

Glen and April conclude the 4th and final part of their Red/Blue conversation on free speech with an exploration of the importance of having a balanced “media diet,” which includes exposure to a wide variety of viewpoints to gain a comprehensive understanding of reality. Available media bias charts were noted as a useful tool for comparing different news sources in terms of objectivity, political slants, and fai...

Glen and April start part 3 of our Red/Blue conversation on free speech by discussing the intricate balance between free speech and the imperative to combat misinformation and harmful content. They delve into categories of unprotected speech, the concept of cancel culture, and the roles of government and private companies in content moderation. The conversation also touches upon the importance of ethica...

In part 2 of our conversation with Ryan Davis, Executive Director for Children’s International in Little Rock, April and Glen explore his work with the Rockefeller Foundation as a faith-based consultant, as well as with various interfaith Initiatives that include Christians, imams, rabbis, and Buddhist representatives to discuss and engage with legislative bodies on public policy. His runs for public office are motivated in part b...

April and Glen talk with Ryan Davis, Executive Director for Children International in Little Rock. Ryan is also a faith-based strategy consultant for the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and a Board Member of the Arkansas Public Policy Panel. In this first part of our interview with Ryan, he provides a summary of the work done by Children International and his role locally, which includes helping raise f...

In part 2 of April and Glen’s “Red/Blue” discussion on free speech, they delve into the challenges of combating misinformation and “bad speech” in a free speech society. Glen argues that simply providing more accurate information is not always effective, as people’s beliefs are often influenced by emotions and tribalism rather than rationality. April concurs and emphasizes the significance of relationship-building and structured de...

In this first of a four-part “Red/Blue” discussion, Glen and April engage in a free-wheeling conversation on the topic of freedom of speech.  They delve into issues surrounding free speech in the United States, with April speaking from a primarily conservative view and Glen from a generally liberal perspective. Among key points of discussion, April emphasizes free speech as a fundamental constitutional ...

In part 2 of our conversation with Carlton Wing, Glen and April explore his thoughts on how to legislate from principle vs populism. Carlton bemoans the negative influences of extremists on both the left and right, and he cites the challenges politicians face in sometimes having to speak to the base of the party in order to be re-elected. Yet Carlton rejects name-calling as “an intellectual copout.” He ...

Carlton Wing, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 70th district, sits down with April and Glen to talk about his career in sports media, his role as a host several years for a worldwide fishing tournament, and as a legislator since 2016.  Carlton traces his early influences on his views and then describes his current work in government as “servant leadership.” He strongly...

In part 2 of April and Glen’s conversation with Jonathan Seaborn, general manager of Little Rock Public Radio, Jonathan addresses criticisms from some listeners who complain of excessive coverage of some right-leaning figures such as Steve Bannon and President Trump. We also discuss the challenges of dealing with misinformation and disinformation in media, and how KUAR is working to meet that challenge....

April and Glen talk with Jonathan Seaborn, general manager of Little Rock Public Radio & KUAR/KLRE radio stations. In this first part of our chat with Jonathan, we learn about his impressive credentials that brought him to Little Rock, as well as the extensive work he now does for Little Rock Public Radio to ensure that the many regulations and compliance requirements for public media are met. While...

In part 2 of April and Glen’s conversation with Dr. Julien Mirivel, Professor of Applied Communication at UA-Little Rock and developer of the positive communication model (www.julienmirivel.com), we explore how to use positive communication practically. One specific example is how to deal with “conflict entrepreneurs” who purposely create or stoke conflict across divisions as a way to gain personally in...

April and Glen’s guest for this episode is Dr. Julien Mirivel, Professor of Applied Communication at UA-Little Rock, an author, teacher, scholar, researcher and academic leader. Julien is a native of France but has lived most of his adult life in the US. He is now a citizen and lives in Little Rock with his wife and 3 children. In this first part of our conversation with Julien, he explains his model of positive communication and b...

 In part 2 of our conversation with Andrew Collins, Democratic state representative and minority leader in the Arkansas House, April and Glen learn about changes Andrew has seen over the course of his 4 terms as a legislator. He also describes his hopes that some “overreaching” by members of the majority party will eventually be understood by Arkansans and they will be corrected by voters. Responding to...