Building Civic Muscle, Together: Notes from the July Civic Innovation Forum
On July 6, the Thriving Together Washington Civic Innovation Forum gathered faith leaders, community organizers, and civic innovators from across the state on Zoom. Paths to Understanding convenes this forum in partnership with Renew to Thrive and the InterMovement Impact Project — because this is exactly the civic engagement work we believe our moment requires:…
Creating a Connected Ecosystem
One of the most important lessons I have learned over the last ten years is this: No one organization can renew our society. The challenges we face are too large and too interconnected. Everything is connected. That means renewal must be connected as well. Over the last several years, Paths to Understanding has increasingly found…
What Happens When Neighbors Meet?
A few weeks ago, more than 70 people gathered for the public celebration of Let’s Go Together in Skagit County. Over the previous months, they had participated in conversations, shared meals, visited one another’s communities, and asked human questions. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Indigenous, people of many cultures and backgrounds, people of many ecoinomic situations, longtime…
Working for the Society We Deserve
Over the last month, I have shared stories from ten years of work. As we conclude this campaign, I want to return to a simple question: What kind of society do we deserve? I believe we deserve a society where people can disagree without dehumanizing one another. The truth is that none of those things…
The Society We Deserve – Resources
Don’t just read it — set a table Get the book. Order at [bookseller links]. Launch-week orders help the book reach readers far beyond our own networks. Share the ideas. Launch a book conversation or potluck with your congregation, club, or organization. Download a free book discussion guide below. Host a gathering. The free Potluck…
Small Organization. Growing Impact.
A question I often hear is: “Can a small organization really make a difference in a moment like this?” It is a fair question. The challenges facing our communities can feel overwhelming. Distrust is growing. Loneliness is widespread. Many Americans are increasingly skeptical of people outside their own groups. The forces that divide us often…
Ten Years In
Terry Kyllo at the Love in A Time of Fear event in Lynnwood, WA.
Why I’m Going to Brazil
This October, I have the opportunity to join a small delegation of civic, bridge-building, and democracy leaders traveling to Brazil through a project called the Brazilian Blueprint, organized by Stories Change Power I want to share why I believe this matters for the work of Paths to Understanding — and why I hope some of…
The Moral and Relational Crisis Beneath American Division
One of the deepest questions many activists, organizers, faith leaders, and community leaders ask today is this: Why don’t people seem to care anymore? After violence, cruelty, corruption, or public dishonesty, many people feel exhausted and bewildered. It can seem as though empathy itself is disappearing. Some conclude that America is in a moral crisis.…