Unify America
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Unify America is nonprofit on a mission to replace political fighting with collaborative problem-solving. Community Guidelines
1.
No Hate Speech or Bullying
We're all in this together to create a welcoming environment. Hate speech, threats of violence, and bullying of any kind are not allowed. Degrading or antagonizing comments about race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender, or identity will not be tolerated. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required and expected.
2. No Political Campaigning, Promotio
07/03/2026
Two hundred and fifty years ago this weekend, the country was founded on an idea: that all people are created equal, and that a government should answer to the people it serves.
Ahead of last year's Fourth of July, our founder Harry Nathan Gottlieb shared a reflection he calls the annual Ideals Day Address. In it, he makes the case for thinking of the Fourth as "American Ideals Day," a celebration of the ongoing, unfinished work of living up to those founding ideals, work carried forward by people whose names never made the history books.
We're resharing it this year because on the 250th, it feels more relevant than ever. Give it a read this weekend:
https://www.unifyamerica.org/post/the-unify-america-annual-ideals-day-address
Happy 250th, America.
American Ideals Day: A New Way to Honor July 4th | Unify America In his 2025 Ideals Day Address, Harry Nathan Gottlieb reimagines July 4th as “American Ideals Day”—a time to honor the courage of past generations and recommit to the unfinished work of living up to our founding principles. From confronting internal divisions to championing Citizens’ Assembl...
What happens when you put a room full of Akron neighbors together and hand them one of the city's hardest problems?
That's not a hypothetical. Earlier this year, a group of residents chosen by lottery, and representative of the city itself, gave their time from March to May to Akron's first Civic Assembly. They dug into housing, listened to points of view they don't usually hear, and worked through a dozen community proposals together. What came out the other side wasn't just talk. It was practical, concrete guidance for the future of housing in Akron.
This is what democracy can look like when everyone gets a seat at the table. Watch how it came together:
07/01/2026
The world has gotten very good at removing awkward moments. No more asking a stranger for directions, no more small talk with your friend's dad who answered the landline, no more calling to make your own appointment.
But those small moments of friction were quietly building something important: the ability to work through discomfort with another person in real time. And it's the one skill AI can't automate for you.
The research backs it up. Employers overwhelmingly say working through disagreement productively matters at work. Far fewer think recent grads are ready to do it.
That gap is exactly what Civic Gym was built to close. Across 270+ campuses, students are getting structured practice talking through hard topics with someone who sees the world differently. The goal is to build tolerance for the discomfort that makes harder conversations possible.
Read the full piece, plus five things you can start practicing today:
Gen Z: if you want to succeed at work, you need to start friction-maxxing It’s going to feel awkward. Let it. Lean into that discomfort, get your training reps in, and watch how fast you outpace everyone else in the room.
06/15/2026
On June 24, Unify Akron is joining New America for a virtual conversation about the Akron Civic Assembly.
Here's the idea: everyday residents, chosen randomly by lottery, learned from experts, talked it through together, and reached agreement on nine proposals to address housing in their community. Those recommendations are now in the hands of a resident-led team working to make them real.
In the conversation, you'll hear how the assembly came together with more than 100 local volunteers, what it looked like in practice, and how Akron is building this kind of collaboration into the way the city actually governs. A few delegates will share what the experience was like for them, too.
If you've ever wondered whether people who disagree can still sit down and get something done, this hour is for you.
June 24, 2026 | 1 to 2 PM ET | Virtual
RSVP: http://events.newamerica.org/akronssuperassembly
What if you spent one hour tonight talking with an American who sees things completely differently than you do?
That's the Unify Challenge for All. Tonight at 8 PM Eastern, we're pairing people one-on-one to discuss 15-20 hot-button issues like gun laws, immigration, and mental health. No debate. No fighting. Just two people, sharing their points of view and maybe finding connection with someone they'd never otherwise meet.
Anyone can join. Register here 👇
Quick confession: most of us are not as good at listening as we think. (Yes, you. Probably us too.)
You can nod, make eye contact, throw in a "mm-hmm," and still have quietly drifted off to dinner, or to whatever you're about to say next. From the outside it looks great. Inside, you've switched to autopilot and you're just waiting for your turn.
We made this short video for our Unify Akron delegates before their Civic Assembly, but the idea is good for all of us. Next time someone's talking, notice the moment your mind wanders, and bring it back. Stay with them a little longer than feels natural.
You might hear something you didn't expect. That's usually where the good stuff starts.
Mary Elizabeth, a student at the College of DuPage, recently took the Unify Challenge and sat down with someone from a different background.
Even though they agreed on a lot, she found herself fascinated by how their experiences shaped the way they each thought.
As she put it, the experience got her outside her box, especially coming from a community where most opinions sound a lot like her own.
Hear it from Mary Elizabeth below.
A real conversation with someone who sees the country differently. That's the whole idea behind the Unify Challenge for All.
You're matched one-on-one with another American, you walk through a guided discussion about the issues that matter most in America, and you find out where you actually agree, often more than you'd expect. No debate. No winners. Just two people talking.
The next one is tomorrow at 4 pm ET. It takes about an hour and there's nothing to prepare.
Join in:
Try something a little different this Thursday.
On May 28 at 2 pm ET, join the Unify Challenge for All, a guided one-on-one video conversation with another American you'd likely never get to meet otherwise. We match the two of you, walk you through the conversation, and you get to do something most of us don't do nearly enough: actually listen to someone whose life looks different from yours.
No prep. No politics expertise needed. Just curiosity and an open mind.
Grab a laptop, give yourself about an hour, and sign up here: https://app.unifyamerica.org/register
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