+More Perfect Union

🔴 AND WE’RE LIVE. Welcome to +MPU’s National Coffee + Courage Challenge! Americans are on unsteady ground and are feeling uncertain about the future of our country. We've forgotten how to engage with those we disagree with, how to humanize the “other side.” The #CoffeeAndCourage Challenge strikes at the very heart of the problems our nation faces: the ability to connect despite our political differences. We are not Democrats or Republicans. We are Americans, and it's time to stop yelling at our screens and start brewing change, one cup at a time. For more details about how you can participate and who's completed Challenge so far, check out our landing page at the link: https://lnkd.in/eipmp5yY You can support us with a donation here: https://lnkd.in/e8ZE66yi #BrickbyBrick #MPUBrickyard #Community #Connections #DisagreeBetter #CoffeeAndCourage #FindingCommonGrounds

Yesterday, I voted early, along with over 47 million people who have already cast their votes in a historic election! While I hope this post encourages many of you to do the same, I wanted to share a brief story on my experience. When I arrived at my voting site in Virginia, I noticed that the sidewalk leading to the building was lined with posters of various candidates from all political sides. It was then that I realized I'd become so focused on the Presidential election that I had not taken the time to REALLY research the candidates at the local level, like school board candidates and many of the city council candidates. Just when I started to panic and feel like the worst citizen ever, I was approached by two people, one woman and one man. Both were older and standing out in the very chilly weather, passing out two flyers. The older woman gave me a flyer that listed all of the Democratic candidates and the positions they were running for, and the older gentleman gave me a flyer that outlined the Republican candidates. They were both sharing a table with their various flyers, snacks, Vote for Harris buttons, and Vote for Trump stickers They shared coffee and a few laughs, and as I walked away, my heart was filled with shock and hope. I was struck by the contrast between what I was experiencing in real life with these two volunteers versus all of the hateful interactions we see every day online. Two people representing two different political parties, sharing coffee, laughs, and table space as they sought to educate voters on their candidates running for office without demeaning one another or resorting to violence...imagine that. In my day job at +More Perfect Union, I lead chapters of volunteer leaders all over America, working to unite their local communities through social connection, service, and civic engagement. It has not been an easy job for our brave volunteers, and I am grateful that they still believe that people from different backgrounds can find common ground and strengthen their communities. Some days I look at social media and the news, and I become incredibly discouraged about the future of our democracy. But yesterday, I found the "light" I was looking for on that sidewalk, and I cast my vote with a little bit more pep in my step. Our country is not perfect, and our democracy has its flaws, but it is only as strong as we the people, make it. #GoVote #civicengagement #MorePerfectUnion #BrickbyBrick

🎙️ Get to know who's leading our DMV Brickyard! Hosted by Gina Baleria, Ed.D., our partners at Civity spoke to Brickyard Leader Ben B. for their latest podcast. In this episode, they cover how Ben finds ways to weave connective tissue in his Washington, D.C. community and how +MPU facilitates this by helping him build relationships among the people around him. Ben is a veteran, dog lover, and one of our first Brickyards Leaders whom we've had the privilege to continue working with. Thank you for your boundless service and dedication, Ben! Civity's mission (seeking to build relationships across differences to transform communities for a world in which everyone belongs) is one that closely aligns with ours. 📣 Listen to the podcast to hear Ben speak on volunteering at +MPU, communities, service (and dogs) here: https://lnkd.in/esAhnJeh 📣 Follow the DMV Brickyard's events here: https://lnkd.in/ej6xuiCm #BrickbyBrick #MPUBrickyard #Community #Connections #MPUDMV #DisagreeBetter #pluralism #network

Thanks to MSNBC for the opportunity to talk election security and why Americans should have confidence that their votes will be counted as cast. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eD6Q4gmD. Encouraging to see recent polling (https://lnkd.in/exQmJmpg) that nearly 80 percent of voters—including a majority of Republicans, Democrats, and independents—trust that the 2024 presidential election results will be accurate. For good reason: based on the incredible work of the election community over the past several years, election infrastructure has never been more secure.

Having Jen Easterly speak and be a part of our 2024 Fellowship has been an honor. Jen and her team at Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) work tirelessly to ensure the security of our votes and have dedicated their careers to this line of work. Having spoken more deeply about the topic and the nitty-gritty details during the Fellowship, we recognize that there is a deep-seated fear surrounding this upcoming Election and its outcome. Don't let that stop your right to vote. Your thoughts, voice, and actions will shape America and build up our local communities. +MPU is proud to continue partnering our Brickyard Chapters with CISA to dispel misinformation and share how your vote is protected. Watch our recorded partnerships (which will be updated) here: 💡Philadephia Brickyard x CISA webinar: https://lnkd.in/eDRg6a7V Melissa Sims, Ph.D. 💡 Burlington Brickyard's "Election Security in VT: How Federal and Municipal-Level Governments Cooperate to Secure Your Vote": https://lnkd.in/ecvwkD65 Rebecca Connell 💡 Tehachapi Brickyard's CISA Virtual Election Security Event: https://lnkd.in/eC2wZUm9 Rebecca Kern 🟡🟢 And if you need a place to talk about these concerns, we welcome you to attend our upcoming events centered around pre- and post-election conversation: https://lnkd.in/eytcb2kk #Disagreebetter #BrickbyBrick #MPUBrickyard #Community #pluralism

🍭Burlington Brickyard Captain Rebecca Connell broke out cotton candy machines, BBQ and ice cream, a children's activity tent, and an informational tent for her civic engagement event! Joined by Director of Operations Victoria Rametta and partnered with CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) rep William Senning and the Richmond Town Clerk Linda Parent, the event educated the Richmond and broader Chittenden County communities about how Federal and Municipal-level government cooperated to keep Vermonters' vote secure. Over 50 people were pulled in by all the activities, including parents whose children were playing in a nearby soccer field. While the kids were supervised, the parents were drawn to the speakers and immersed. Many were surprised at how much work goes on behind the scenes to protect their votes and were very glad to have joined and learned! "A mother came up to me and told me that she hopes her children will see the value in civil discourse as she grows up," Rebecca said. It was one of the most meaningful moments she received from holding the event, and it is exactly the type of help we want to bring to our local communities. 🗳️ Excellent work, Rebecca! We can see how your efforts are sowing thoughtful discourse to be taken into the upcoming election. Watch the Event Recording here: https://lnkd.in/dHRcZCmx #BrickbyBrick #MPUBrickyard #Community #Connections #MPUBurlington #BurlingtonBrickyard #DisagreeBetter #pluralism

📽️ Join or Die Film is a documentary that tells the story of Robert Putnam and his long-running research into how civic participation in clubs is what ultimately strengthens our democracy. It’s now a familiar name across our Brickyards because of how closely its messaging resonates with ours! Major kudos to our DMV Brickyard Leaders Ben B. and Ryan Smither for being the first among our Chapters to do a free community screening and inspiring other Brickyards to follow suit! And thank you again to TAKODA Shaw for continually giving us a space to host such events! 24 people showed up, with approximately 75% being newcomers — showing a real hunger for this film. “It's time for a civic revival and we all need to be part of it. Join us. It is a powerful message that should speak to all of us right now,” Ben says. By looking at the graphs on Generational Differences in Social Trust and the Relationship between Civic Community and Government Performance, we get a shocking glimpse into our current reality and what it can be. “There are many ways for you to invest in our public life. It can be as simple as joining a club. Get together with people in your community. Get out of your physical and digital silos that are comfortable, but prevent you from meaningful engagement with people that don't necessarily look like you, dress like you, or think like you. Find common ground,” he adds. “Join or Die is the best movie I've seen in a long time. It's scary. It's funny. It's optimistic. It's absolutely worth seeing. The creators want people to come together so you won't find this on Netflix — it's only available through community screenings. If you're in the DMV area and want to see it, connect with me and we will host more screenings.” We applaud your leadership, Ben! 👏 #BrickbyBrick #MPUBrickyard #Community #Connections #MPUDMV #DisagreeBetter #pluralism

Just wrapped an incredible conversation on the Cleared Hot podcast with Andy Stumpf and MPU Founder and Chairman Jake Harriman. We dove deep into how our military experiences shaped More Perfect Union's mission and approach. Andy was an amazing host with his own poignant insights and stories-- and a blast to hang with. Some highlights: How veterans are uniquely positioned to serve our democracy here at home Jake's powerful story from Iraq that crystallized his view on freedom as "meaningful choices for all" My realization that clearing a Taliban stronghold wasn't the most important work I'd ever do—that was yet to come We unpacked how these moments inform MPU's volunteer-led movement to strengthen our democracy. If you've ever wondered how military service translates to uniting the country and strengthening communities , this episode is for you. #CoffeeandCourage #ClearedHot #MPU #StoryTime +More Perfect Union

What can be do to stop the spread of divisiveness? How can we understand one another and seek to empathize with people who don’t look like us, act like us, or even think like us? I believe this understanding is vital. One amazing veteran has founded an organization that’s on the front lines of healing our fractured communities through coffee, conversation and advocacy. Join us on the S.O.S. podcast as we kick off season 3 with what this show has always represented - our service to others by talking about our most pressing issues! Jake Harriman graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy and served seven and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Platoon Commander in both the Infantry and Force Recon. During his military service, Jake led four operational deployments, including two combat tours in Iraq. Following his service, Jake enrolled at the Stanford Graduate School of Business to gain the business acumen he would need to follow this new direction. While at Stanford, Jake founded Nuru International to eradicate extreme poverty in the world’s most unstable, vulnerable regions to help end violent extremism. Due to the desperate condition of the U.S. political system, Jake has now turned his attention to helping protect the American Democratic experiment, which he fears is on the brink of failure—a failure that would have terrible global consequences. Jake is the Founder of +More Perfect Union, a veteran-led movement to heal the divide in the nation by creating meaningful connections through civics, service, and leadership. He is now the Co-Founder and CEO of America Leads, a movement to build the new Republican Party for pragmatic, country-first conservatives. Jake has received several honors including the Unsung Hero of Compassion presented by The Dalai Lama (2014), White House Champion of Change (2014), Presidential Leadership Scholar (2015), and 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs presented by Goldman Sachs (2015). He is also a Council Member of NationSwell (2016), an Unusual VC Academy Partner (2018), and a Truman National Security Fellow (2018). Jake has been interviewed on ABC, BBC World Service, CNN, Fox Business and MSNBC’s Morning Joe and received coverage in the Christian Science Monitor, Devex, Forbes, Huffington Post, The New York Times, Stanford Magazine, Fox News, and others. +More Perfect Union - https://www.mpu.us/