I Never Thought of It That Way: A Conversation with Mónica Guzmán

Advancing the cause of a more responsive, representative and accountable government more often than not requires consensus building across political and ideological lines. The bipartisan effort to pass the Electoral Count Reform Act in 2022 by CLC and a host of other pro-democracy advocates serves as a prime example of this dynamic. 

Achieving consensus, however, is increasingly difficult in a country that is becoming more divided along political, ideological, cultural and even geographical lines.  

Enter author and journalist Mónica Guzmán. Her 2022 book “I Never Thought of it That Way” provides a thorough and compelling guide for navigating difficult conversations and finding common ground. The book explores some of the core forces driving divisions in our society, then explains how we can attempt to bridge those divides through respectful dialogue. 

Learn how conversations where the potential for disagreement is high can become bridging conversations that open up space for mutual understanding and maybe even progress towards a common goal. 

The techniques described in Guzmán's book are immediately applicable to the work of advocates seeking to build a broad-based movement in support of core democratic principles.