- DISCUSSIONS: We meet as small groups where you can talk to real people about the issues that divide us. Share your unique insights, encounter new perspectives and new ways of looking at the world, and experience what it's like to feel heard and understood.

You'll find that it is possible to disagree in a way that leaves you feeling true to yourself and your beliefs without losing your friends or your cool.

- WORKSHOPS: We teach the skills you need to effectively talk across differences. You will learn ways to foster curiosity and invite listening, acquire strategies for overcoming common communication barriers, and develop the confidence to talk politics with people you know, live, and work with.

- COMMUNITY EVENTS: We’re not just about talking – we’re also about community. We host game nights, screen videos, share books, and offer many other ways of connecting across differences.

At all events, trained facilitators set the tone of the discussion and help the group build trust. Come see what civil, respectful conversation is like. Who knows, you might make friends with someone you disagree with!

More about Crossing Party Lines:

We are a national nonprofit with chapters in eight states. Because we believe that the success of America’s unique democracy relies on the diversity of our viewpoints, we encourage people of all political views and parties to join and participate.

Come learn, explore, practice, and grow with us. Join this grassroots movement and become the change in your community.

Note: Due to COVID, most of our events are online. Unless otherwise stated, events are open to all Crossing Party Lines chapters, giving you a chance to interact with people from all over the country.

Upcoming events (4+)

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Network event
29 attendees from 11 groups hosting
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 1:00 AM UTCBreaking Barriers: Reconnecting America
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In a time of growing divides, many Americans are asking how we can connect across our differences to build a stronger, more resilient society. While connection and collaboration can take many forms, the question remains: how can individuals, communities, and institutions contribute to a healthier civic culture?

At this meeting, we’ll explore:

What does it take to work through differences and strengthen connections?

What do you see as the biggest challenges to bridging divides?

What approaches or mindsets do you think help foster understanding?

Can you share a time when you connected with someone despite differences? What made it possible?

How can individuals or communities take small steps toward stronger relationships across divides?

This is an opportunity to hear diverse perspectives, share experiences, and explore practical ideas for fostering understanding and collaboration in our communities and beyond.

Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:

Instagram @crossingpartylines

Twitter @crosspartylines

Facebook @crossingpartylines
3 attendees from this group
Network event
22 attendees from 11 groups hosting
Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:00 PM UTCBook Club-- A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present
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A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present, by Howard Zinn, 2016, 729 pages

Note: We’ll read Chapters 6, 9 - 15

Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, it is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of—and in the words of—America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As Zinn shows, many of our country's greatest battles—the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women's rights, racial equality—were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance.

Covering Christopher Columbus's arrival through President Clinton's first term, A People's History of the United States features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.

About CPL Book Club:
This monthly gathering's mission is simple: to explore profound opinions and accounts of our nation’s and the world’s most critical issues through in-depth books. But it’s not just about reading - it’s about embracing diverse perspectives, sparking discussions, and sharing thoughts with fellow explorers of knowledge.
What you’ll get out of book club: our hope is for you to dare to dive deep, analyzing topics and navigating the twists and turns of politics together. If you share a passion for continuous learning and want to explore the intricacies of our world’s challenges, then this club is your intellectual haven (or entry) into finding out more.

How It Works:

Members will propose books by adding them to this list.

Where To Find the Books:
We promise that all the books we will discuss will be available online, in bookstores and in most cases, in your local library. Most will be available in hardcopy, audiobook, and e-book. Please consider borrowing the books from your local library. If you find purchasing new copies of the books beyond your budget, we encourage you to look for used copies, which you are likely to find online at Powell’s Bookstore, ThriftBooks, or on Amazon (listed below the hardcover or paperback prices).

Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.
We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:

Instagram @crossingpartylines

Twitter @crosspartylines

Facebook @crossingpartylines
1 attendee from this group
Network event
29 attendees from 11 groups hosting
Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 1:00 AM UTCThe Economy: How Much Does It Matter?
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The economy is often front and center in discussions about government policies and leadership. While some argue that political decisions have a direct and profound impact on economic outcomes, others believe that broader forces, like global markets and innovation, play a larger role. At this meeting, we’ll explore the complex connections between politics and the economy, diving into how these factors influence each other and our daily lives.

We’ll ask questions such as:

Is the economy one of the primary concerns for you as you decide how to vote? Why or why not?

What role do you see political leaders and policies playing in shaping economic outcomes?

How much of the economy’s performance do you think can be attributed to external factors, like global trends or technology?

Do you believe political leaders should be held accountable for economic conditions, and if so, to what extent?

How do you feel the economy affects you?

This conversation offers a chance to explore multiple perspectives on the dynamic relationship between politics and the economy in a respectful and thought-provoking dialogue. If possible, please review the following links in preparation for our discussion:

How is the US economy doing

Government Spending

Grocery Prices

Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:

Instagram @crossingpartylines

Twitter @crosspartylines

Facebook @crossingpartylines
2 attendees from this group
Network event
10 attendees from 11 groups hosting
Sat, Jan 25, 2025, 6:00 PM UTCWorkshop: Talking Politics
Link visible for attendees
Civil, respectful discourse. Talking. Listening.

In CPL 101 we'll share the secrets of Talking Politics in a way that invites others to listen rather than dares them to defend against your ideas or shut you down.

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Attendees: Before the meeting, please download and print the handouts, which are located on this page: https://crossingpartylines.com/cpl-101-talking-politics/
************************Workshop Description**************************

Talking politics refers to sharing your views in a way that supports dialogue instead of debate. Rather than the typical political speak we hear in the media and debates that is all about telling others how they should think, CPL’s approach to talking politics provides insight into why your political views make sense to you; it promotes curiosity, respect and connection and helps others understand how their views and yours can coexist without either of you being wrong or immoral.

But it is not easy, because we’re conditioned to defend our point of view rather than share it or share about ourselves. In this meetup we will practice skills that enable us to speak across our differences in a way that moves us all forward and deepens our understanding of where our views come from. We will explore strategies for overcoming communication barriers, and we will practice productive civil discourse.
There are no prerequisites for this workshop. All are welcome.
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ABOUT CPL Workshops

Get the training you need to effectively cross party lines. Crossing Party Lines provides a series of FREE classes teaching the skills we use to talk across differences. We teach proven, science-based techniques to foster curiosity, invite listening, and connect across differences.

We designed these techniques based on recent discoveries in such fields as cognitive science, neurobiology, and evolutionary psychology. Because understanding the partisan brain is central to the work of Crossing Party Lines, our workshops cover both the skills and some of the basic science behind them.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on:
• Instagram @crossingpartylines (Instagram.com/crossingpartylines)
• Twitter @crosspartylines (Twitter.com/CrossPartyLines)
• Facebook @crossingpartylines (Facebook.com/crossingpartylines)
1 attendee from this group