On Tuesday, July 14th, Kristin Hansen and Rob Romero of the Civic Health Project hosted Millennial Action Project’s Founder and CEO, Steven Olikara in a panel discussion of The Reunited States.The Reunited States is an urgent and inspiring documentary film about the deep political divides in America, and how each of us has an important role to play in reuniting the country. They were joined by the filmmakers and cast members: the film’s director, Ben Rekhi; author of the book on which the film was based, Mark Gerzon; the mother of Heather Heyer and founder of the Heather Heyer Foundation, Susan Bro; and founders of Undivided Nation, Erin and David Leaverton.
The theme of both the film and the night was the urgent necessity to build bridges across political difference. Each panelist shared how they became personally invested in addressing polarization in the United States. While the panelists came from different backgrounds, similar themes emerged in their stories. From divorce, to the death of a child, to experiencing disillusionment in institutions once held dear, one common thread between many of the panelists’ stories was transforming personal heartbreak into creative and constructive action.
Olikara and MAP were highlighted as voices of optimism and guides toward a post-partisan future: “Your story points towards solutions and provides a hopeful center,” Hansen said. In sharing their histories and motives, the panelists agreed that the absence of compassion and empathy are central drivers of polarizing rhetoric and our increasingly tense political divisions. The panelists all expressed hope that their work would both remind a divided country of their common humanity and inspire others to begin their own journeys of political bridge-building.
The second half of the conversation was a Q&A featuring questions from the audience and looked more pointedly at remedies to America’s bitter political divisions. David Leaverton, Gerzon, and Olikara shared the view that bridging political divides would not happen by winning any one election, electing any one politician, or come from the top-down. Olikara captured that common conviction, stating “What this film is highlighting goes deeper than the 2016 election or any one election. The revolution that’s at play here and that many of us feel excited about is happening at the ground level.” Instead of looking for the solutions to come out of Washington, D.C., the panelists believe change would come from the grassroots work of political bridge-builders across the country. Reflecting on his decades of mediation work and the film itself, Gerzon shared that he finds hope from “the screen in front of [him] and… the hundreds of thousands of people that Ben could have pointed his camera at.”
Ahead of the film’s World Premiere as the closing night film at the prestigious Woods Hole Film Festival in Massachusetts, the panelists hope that this film will serve as an invitation not only for individuals to build political bridges, but also to bring them together to foster a movement that heals the country’s divides.