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MPR News with Angela Davis
Angela Davis, Catharine Richert, Maja Beckstrom and Annie Baxter

Talking Sense: Coming together to solve tough problems

Coming up at 9 a.m. on Thursday

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Coming together to solve social challenges in today’s divisive environment sometimes feels impossible. But it doesn’t have to be.

Mariah Levison and Rob Fersh describe dozens of examples in their new book “From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems.” They both spent decades working in conflict resolution and have helped hundreds of groups build trust and create consensus solutions on issues ranging from healthcare to prison reform.

MPR News with Angela Davis shares a conversation Levison and Fersh had with MPR News correspondent Catharine Richert at an event on Nov. 25 at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. The discussion was jointly organized by the Citizens League and the MPR News Talking Sense initiative, which aims to help Minnesotans have tough political conversations … better.

Guests:

  • Rob Fersh is the founder and former CEO of the non-profit organization, Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, based in Washington D.C. Convergence was founded in 2009 to promote consensus solutions to contentious issues affecting national and international policy.

  • Mariah Levison is the current CEO and president of Convergence. She helped create and previously ran the Minnesota State Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.    

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.