Hours Of Hope: Case Studies In American Progress

From Mayor David Holt “Mayors and councilmen in most cities know that we get to face all the voters. We don’t have to face a subset of the voters, and it just totally changes the way that we approach the job because we can build a coalition of normal, reasonable… Read More

While national lawmakers are often seen drawing party lines and taking sides, local and regional governments across the nation can typically come to solutions more quickly and easily. A group of former and current municipal leaders came together in a virtual discussion on Nov. 3 to talk about how… Read More

From Mitch Weiss “When I was in government, I found many instances of great public servants coming together and making progress on the biggest challenges they saw.” – Mitch Weiss, former chief of staff and a partner to Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino   Friends and fellow citizens,  Municipalities typically address issues and implement solutions… Read More

From Nic Adams “It’s a lot easier to find common ground with folks than people think.”-Nic Adams, Professional Staff Member & Advisor to Senator Cornyn, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Friends and fellow citizens,  Whether forging consensus on landmark legislation or job hunting on Capitol Hill, relationships matter, according to a… Read More

I’ve learned to have a thick skin and manage the most-disrespectful callers with what Barbara Boxer would call the ‘Art of Tough,’ that is, responding to constituent concerns with both politeness and fearlessness. Ivelisse Porroa-Garcia Policy Director, U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and President, Congressional Hispanic Staff Association Friends… Read More

  This event broadcast September 2021, featuring:   Jeremy Hayes: Senior Professional Staff Member and Adviser to Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-OH), Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Ivelisse Porroa-Garcia: Director of Government Affairs, Ferox Strategies; former… Read More

[NOTE: the opening graphic plays for 2 minutes; Advance to 2:01 for the beginning of the program] In remembrance of the 20th Anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and the Vanderbilt Project on Unity… Read More

Thank you for engaging with Vanderbilt University to discuss the crises in Afghanistan. This event originally broadcast in August 2021. WAYS TO HELP Here are a few ways you can support and aid incoming Afghan families and refugees, as well as veterans and their families: Donate… Read More

When profiling diverse leaders across America—the bridge builders, who do not accept the status quo of bottomless rage toward others—I discovered that these bridge builders are countercultural. They do not accept buzzwords. They do not use labels. They choose nuance over caricature, realizing that when they box people in, they box themselves out of the possibility of meaningful connections that can lead to genuine change.  Read More