A brief preface from Bill & Maury
Friends,
Thank you to the Braver Angels audience in Michigan, and a special thank you to the BA Michigan leaders who joined us in Grand Rapids. It was a privilege to spend the past couple of days together in thoughtful, open, and energizing conversation.
There was a steady sense of hope throughout our time together, grounded in the courageous citizenship that makes this work so important.
We’re grateful for the momentum building and reminded again that polarization is not inevitable. The follow-up from the Ford Foundation reflects how clearly Braver Angels’ mission is resonating in this moment. One of our primary goals for these two events was to inspire and equip more residents in Grand Rapids to engage with Braver Angels locally, and we hope this energy continues to grow. If you know people in the area who attended, or others who may be interested in getting involved, we encourage you to share this opportunity while the interest and enthusiasm are strong.
We appreciate your time, care, and leadership, and look forward to what continues to grow from this work. If you see opportunities to form new relationships, try new activities, and build together across differences in Michigan, now is the time to act. We’re ready to support you.
Onward,
Maury Giles Bill Doherty
Watch the presentation
The Story
On May 19, Braver Angels CEO Maury Giles and co-founder Bill Doherty took the stage at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for an evening centered on a simple but urgent idea: that citizens still have the power to rebuild trust and work together across differences.
The interactive session drew a strong turnout of community members from Grand Rapids and across West Michigan. The conversation traced the cultural shifts that have fueled rising polarization over the past four decades, and explored what individuals and communities can do to reverse that trend. A highlight of the evening was the audience discussion itself, where attendees practiced the kind of engaged, respectful exchange that Braver Angels exists to foster.
The event also carried a personal connection to the Ford legacy. Maury shared a previously unseen Gerald Ford quote, passed along by the president’s son Steve Ford, from a letter Ford wrote to Steve as a teenager. It was a fitting reminder of the honesty, humility, and commitment to the common good that defined Ford’s leadership and that still resonates in the Grand Rapids community today.
The Ford Foundation’s follow-up to attendees reinforced the energy in the room, noting that the evening reflected “a willingness to engage, listen, and wrestle seriously with the challenges facing our democracy.”
If you missed the event or want to revisit the conversation, the Ford Foundation has made a livestream recording available above.
Get Involved The momentum from this event is real, and there’s no better time to act on it. If you’re in the Grand Rapids area and want to bring Braver Angels programming to your community, or if you know someone who attended and is ready to take the next step, reach out to Braver Angels Michigan. We’re here to help you get started.