I Spoke to a Trump Supporter. And We Agreed.
Weaving teaches us that difference is not a threat to belonging — it’s what gives the whole its strength.
Hello Courageous Thrivers,
This week I'm sharing a bonus piece I published on Substack. It has a “Thriving for Equity Blog” vibe and I think it will resonate with you all.
It's a personal story about a conversation I was afraid to have, my imperfect actions, and the unexpected result of trying to talk across lines of political difference.
In case you're not used to Substack what you should know is:
1) this article is free and public so you don't have to subscribe to read it and
2) if you do subscribe (free or paid) and don't choose to use the Substack app to read things then Substack should work pretty much like this blog - you'll just get the essays via email in your inbox. No extra clutter etc.
“Make Appliances Great Again” said the tagline on the branded polar fleece jacket he put on as he prepared to leave.
I stared at it.
“I should say something,” I thought. “I should ask about it.” My body tensed. My heart beat faster.
He chatted about poor packaging and broken parts as he pulled up my bill on his phone so I could pay for the oven repair he'd started, but I was no longer listening. I was watching the scene from a distance.
I froze.
He left. I had said nothing.
I could feel the shame and the rationalizations rising. “What is wrong with me? People in Minneapolis are standing out in the cold to protect childcare providers from being picked up by ICE and I'm too scared to ask about a tagline? What the actual F*ck?”
But after decades of practice I know better than to go too far down this rabbit hole.
I know that shame keeps me frozen and prevents me from taking actions aligned with my values. In this case I wanted to move towards my values of courage and community building.
So I started with one of the most important steps I've learned to take when I feel shame and avoidance rising…