A Braver Way

Monica Guzman

With political tensions at a new peak, it can be tough — and exhausting — to find a way forward. So what does it take to stay strong, engaged, and grounded in dangerously divided times? In each episode, host Mónica Guzmán joins guests from across the political spectrum. Together they’ll share tools, insights, and messy real-life stories to help you navigate the challenging divides in your everyday life without losing heart.

  1. 3d ago

    Speak out or work it out: What's yours to do right now?

    With political tensions at a new peak, the pressure to take a stand — or keep the peace — can be intense. But how do you know the difference between the move that feels right and the one that is right? In our first episode after a long break, Mónica, a liberal, talks with her conservative friend and fellow bridge builder April Lawson about what it takes to know what’s truly yours to do at this moment. Drawing on ideas from people who’ve seen the best and worst of humanity, along with their own struggles to navigate what feels like an increasingly scary world, Moni and April explore how to step out of the heat long enough to ask:  How do I avoid using "peacemaking" as a cover for a lack of courage? What's the line between humanizing someone … and enabling them?  When it comes to division in my community, my family, and my country: What will I wish I had done when my grandchildren ask what I did? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 42m

  2. 11/19/2024

    Ask Us Anything: A Red/Blue post-election S.O.S.

    Two weeks after the 2024 election, left-right tensions are through the roof. In this special “Ask Us Anything” episode, a cross-partisan panel of Trump and Harris voters take on a fiery handful of YOUR toughest questions about how in the world we bridge political divides from here… just in time for the holidays. Join host Moni, April, and our special guests — Angel Eduardo, Shira Hoffer, and Travis Tripodi — as they close out this season of A Braver Way with a conversation you don’t want to miss. Featuring: Angel Eduardo, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Shira Hoffer, Institute for Multipartisan Education Travis Tripodi, Braver Angels New Hampshire   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 17m

  3. 11/12/2024

    Beat | A new divide in America

    Remember Election Day — before we knew the outcome and we were all on pins and needles, worried about what might happen if the other side won?  On that day, dozens of pairs of Trump and Harris voters stood outside polling places in different parts of the country, shoulder to shoulder with their political opposites. With half our country in pain, and the other half feeling relief, what can we learn from six of these Americans and their radically simple experiment?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    15 min

  4. 11/04/2024

    Braving the unknown: Your election survival guide

    How can you navigate this election with integrity? No matter who wins… no matter what? In this special election week episode, Moni and April roll out a survival guide that lends wisdom to all this anxiety. Drawing inspiration from A Braver Way guests like somatic therapist Luis Mojica, trans activist Kai Cheng Thom, conservative podcast host Wilk Wilkinson, and many more, your politically red and blue co-hosts ask what it’ll take to manage the one and only thing we can control this election… ourselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 13m

  5. 10/29/2024

    Beat | Six Americans doing the unexpected on Election Day

    Many Americans expect bitterness and mistrust between Democrats and Republicans on Election Day. Here’s something they won’t expect: hundreds of everyday liberals and conservatives pairing off at polling places nationwide to try to show voters — and themselves — that whoever wins, our union can’t lose. What’s motivating these Trump and Harris voters to stand side-by-side in front of anxious voters Nov. 5? We talk to pairs in a red state, a blue state, and a swing state to find out.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    14 min

  6. 10/22/2024

    Consumed by the news? How to stay sane in a polarized election

    It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the flood of election headlines and opinions. But does following the news have to drive us crazy…or drive us even further apart? Mónica talks with Isaac Saul, the founder of Tangle — a political newsletter that’s earned trust across the political spectrum — to ask how we the people can take control of our news habits for a clearer, less polarizing view of the campaigns, the issues, and each other. Then, April and Mónica discuss how our behaviors shape our media and why following the news with a “red” ear and a “blue” ear could help us tune in all the better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 6m

  7. 10/15/2024

    Beat | Pledges & pronouns: When civic rituals clash

    It might have been the prayer, the land acknowledgment, the Pledge of Allegiance, or the moment everyone started sharing their pronouns. But opening rituals that disagree with you can leave you feeling shut out. So what do you do when the culture of a group you want to belong to goes somewhere you can’t follow? We talk with Braver Angels leader Steve Saltwick about the clashes that come up for conservatives in particular, and what it looks like to acknowledge someone else’s framework without abandoning your own. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    21 min

  8. 10/08/2024

    ‘Am I the monster?’ with trans activist Kai Cheng Thom

    How do you talk across the political divide with someone who might exclude you, fear you, or even believe you shouldn’t exist? And what if it’s your beliefs that seem to paint someone else out of the picture? Award-winning writer, performer, and trans activist Kai Cheng Thom has wrestled with these questions in a more visceral way than most… and in a more universal way than you might expect. Kai shares the groundbreaking ways she manages the tension between advocating and understanding, then April joins Mónica to explore contrasting views on gender and sexuality from the left and the right, and together they face the quagmire at the heart of so many of our toughest clashes: How do you love people well while holding strong to your convictions?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 20m
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Trailer

4.7
out of 5
126 Ratings

About

With political tensions at a new peak, it can be tough — and exhausting — to find a way forward. So what does it take to stay strong, engaged, and grounded in dangerously divided times? In each episode, host Mónica Guzmán joins guests from across the political spectrum. Together they’ll share tools, insights, and messy real-life stories to help you navigate the challenging divides in your everyday life without losing heart.

Information

  • Creator
    Monica Guzman
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Monica Guzman
  • Show Website
    A Braver Way

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