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Jermaine Johnson, a South Carolina state representative and former pro basketball player, shares his frustration with the legislative process, revealing how performative politics often masks real, behind-closed-doors power plays. In his push to reform outdated laws, he’s faced fierce resistance rooted not just in political ideology, but in the weight of our shared history. For Johnson, the real battle isn’t left versus right; it’s past versus present. Still, his fight is fueled by hope—for his grandchildren to live in a world that finally catches up to its ideals.

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Kathryn Joyce, a philosopher and civil discourse director at Ohio State University, recalls a memorable clash with a college professor over unfair tests—an early lesson in the challenges of pushing back against authority. Now an educator herself, she teaches students to hold powerful people accountable with humility and care. For Joyce, civil discourse isn’t about winning arguments. It’s about fostering fairness, connection, and dialogue, especially across power divides. Still, she cautions: not every conversation is worth having—discernment matters just as much as empathy.

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Lisa Silvestri, a professor at Penn State University, reflects on the deep emotional stakes of political disagreement, describing her post-2024 election disillusionment as a kind of heartbreak rooted in love for her country. Drawing from her upbringing in a loud Philadelphia household, she sees conflict not as dysfunction but as a sign of care—a refusal to disengage. Her hope persists. For her, choosing vulnerability over cynicism is essential to living fully and resisting the temptation to turn away from those we love, even when they vote differently.

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