The quote above by our Founder, Mitch Landrieu, encapsulates the notion that doing what is right is not always easy, but it is always worth it. The 2024 presidential election has reminded us of a critical truth: America remains deeply entrenched in fear, anger, and frustration, and the path forward is as challenging as ever. Half of the country has embraced one vision, while the other has committed to an alternate path. For many, this is yet another divide. But I hope this moment offers an opportunity to move beyond simple tolerance (or even intolerance) and into a space of genuine curiosity—a curiosity that can lead us toward the inclusive democracy that has always been America’s promise. This may sound overly optimistic in the face of our divisions, but we cannot stay trapped in anger and expect things to improve. We must look up, together, beyond the limited perspectives that divide us, and find the path forward with unity and purpose. Hear me out.
In recent months, as we prepared for the release of our new podcast, Reimagining Us, focused on bridging divides, I’ve come to understand toxic polarization—a state where political and social issues become so charged that we lose sight of the issues themselves, focusing instead on the people who present them. We no longer see ideas; we see adversaries, responding with name-calling and personal attacks. Not just at a national level, but even more dangerously, at the local level. This high-conflict mindset breaks down constructive dialogue and traps communities in cycles of hostility.
Amanda Ripley, in High Conflict, explores this phenomenon, revealing how conflicts escalate into destructive cycles. High conflict is characterized by an “us vs. them” mentality, where curiosity disappears, replaced by certainty and suspicion. Ripley argues that the way out is to rekindle curiosity and allow people to see each other’s humanity. When we engage with genuine curiosity, we begin to understand the complexities of each other’s lives, opening doors for solutions that address underlying issues. She calls this good conflict—where disagreement and tension are handled productively, allowing people to grow from differences rather than be torn apart by them.
This moment can be our chance to move past surface-level tolerance into active curiosity. Tolerance often creates a passive acceptance that stops short of real engagement, leaving us standing apart rather than truly connecting. Curiosity, on the other hand, requires us to listen and engage, to understand not just what someone believes but why. It allows us to discover motivations, fears, and hopes, transforming conflict into cooperation and division into understanding.
Embracing curiosity means acknowledging that disagreement is a natural part of our democracy while believing that cooperation and understanding can coexist with our differences. Setting aside the urge to merely tolerate is challenging, but it’s necessary if we are to create a country where democracy thrives—not because we’re the same, but because we choose to understand and grow together despite our differences. If we are to move forward in this moment, we must commit to trying
Scott Hutcheson
Executive Director, E Pluribus Unum
Reimagining Us is not just another conversation series—it’s a vital tool for healing divisions, designing our lives and communities for belonging, and empowering a movement of “builders.” Hosted by two distinguished leaders from the fields of psychology and equity-building, EPU Eminent Scholar and Founder of TogetherUp Dr. Nichole Argo and EPU Executive Director Scott Hutcheson, the show takes a nuanced look at the forces that fuel division and highlights actionable paths toward reconnection. As the nation navigates a post-election landscape rife with challenges, Reimagining Us offers a timely and necessary space for discovery, dialogue, and change.
Download and listen today!
The 2024 Youth Cohort of the Unum Fellowship program consists of twenty 18-24-year old college students from sixteen Southern academic institutions. The Fellowship program will equip the young leaders with resources, training, and technical expertise to develop and execute a project addressing racial and/or economic disparities on their school campuses or within their broader community.
Learn more about the Cohort HERE.
The third class of the Unum Academy is composed of fifteen college students representing academic institutions in all thirteen Southern states. The Unum Academy aims to foster the personal and professional development of college students in the South who have an interest in addressing policies, practices, and structures that create inequity. During the summer, Academy members complete a paid internship with an organization in their local community that works to address issues related to inequity and disparity.
Learn more about the class HERE.
Acceleration of leadership at all levels, but especially of young people, is what will continue to drive the necessary change toward a more equitable future we at EPU envision for the American South and beyond. Programs like the Unum Fellowship and Unum Academy provide a network of support and resources to fully equip our young leaders as they make positive impacts within their communities.
Stay on the look out for the opening of applications for EPU's sixth cohort of Unum Fellows, coming in December! This cohort will consist once again of municipal elected officials.
Follow us on social media to stay up to date and apply!
We know that there are countless ways that inequity impacts the South. But at EPU, we know that there are also countless ways to dismantle racist and inequitable systems.That is why we have created our EPU Knowledge Bank.
The mission of this Knowledge Bank is to surface and share exactly this kind of systems-changing, equity-driven work being done all over the South. In it, you will find information and inspiration on how elected officials, community leaders, organizations, and individuals are launching ideas, programs, and system fixes to create permanent, equitable change to address systemic issues and strengthen communities across the South.
E Pluribus Unum is proud to be working in partnership with The St. Charles Center for Faith + Action on a program for Southern churches looking to support truth, healing, and repair by examining their histories around race and equity, reckoning with challenging findings, and working toward changing their own narratives.
In Deed and Truth: Interrogating Legacies of White Church in America (IDAT) is a cohort-style program for Southern churches that have historically remained predominantly white for at least 50 years. Over the course of this 18 month program, a cohort of churches from across the South will be guided by experts in theological history, sociology, race, equity, and biblical teachings to support them in leading transformative processes for their congregations and communities.
The inaugural cohort is composed of six churches representing five Southern states: Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. IDAT is funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and the Baugh Foundation.
Since our founding, EPU has worked with faith leaders and groups who are in many circumstances leading the work towards racial healing in their communities throughout the South. Through IDAT, EPU aims to continue to support faith communities in their work to advance truth, healing and repair by examining their congregations’ histories around racism and white supremacy, and working to create new narratives and reparative actions.
Leading up to the 2024 election, EPU launched our Policy Pulse Series, where Director of Policy Jessica Guinn and Director of Govt. Relations Kristal Swim inform our audiences about some of the latest legislative changes that impact how we show up at the polls in the South.
This series will continue as we gear up for the 2025 Legislative sessions starting at the top of the new year. Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with policy issues that impact the South!
We know that it is difficult to keep up with the ever-changing policy issues and legislatures across the American South. EPU wants to make sure Southerners have the information about measures that impact their daily lives!
On October 25th, Unum Fellow and Columbia, SC Solicitor, Byron Gipson, publicly expunged the records of activists that were arrested during the 1960s lunch counter strikes in Columbia, SC.
These men faced charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct while fighting for their rights and dignity at a time when segregation was rampant. Their case eventually ascended to the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to the overturning of their convictions in 1964.
While their convictions were sealed, the records remained, serving as a reminder of the injustices they endured. Now, over 60 years later, their records have been finally expunged.
This event highlights not only a moment of justice and healing, but also the critical role community solidarity plays in advancing equity across the South.
To fulfill America’s promise of justice and equal opportunity for every American, we must build a consensus around the history of racism in the U.S. and the effect it still has today. The Unum Alliance is a network EPU has created to accelerate this effort, as we know facing our nation’s dark truths is the first step towards healing and reconciliation. A simple rule: You cannot change what you do not acknowledge!
In June, EPU brought together our Unum Fellows and Unum Academy members, plus the alumni of both programs, for a time of learning and relationship building. The gathering kicked off with an armchair discussion with EPU Founder, Mitch Landrieu, reflecting on the key principles upon which we were founded. Attendees then journeyed through separate breakout sessions that were tailored to each type of participant both current and alumni. The impactful event closed with an armchair discussion with EPU’s Eminent Scholar Dr. Nichole Argo, where she discussed her work with EPU in applying behavioral science and psychology to effectively shift belief systems and attitudes on race and equity.
Building off our first Unum Alliance convening in Montgomery last year, in October EPU hosted Unum Alliance members local to the Richmond area for our 2024 Truth and Healing Convening. This gathering was designed to concentrate on the remarkable amount of faith-led racial justice work from our 13 Unum Alliance members based in Richmond. The two-day event was designed around specific requests members made to our Community Engagement team. They were then were led through extensive workshops on everything from preparing for growth, operational best practices, how to collaborate on messaging strategies, and building effective media campaigns.
EPU's Director of Government Relations, Kristal Swim, emphasized the importance and opportunities of equity-driven work as a speaker at Women in Government Relations' annual "State of the States" event held in Washington, D.C. Kristal is pictured above with fellow speaker, Ben Nasta of the National Conference of State Legislators.
In June, EPU partnered with the Lafayette County Remembrance Project (LCRP) in the 2024 Statewide Gathering, which served as LCRP’s first step in growing a robust community of practice around memorialization and historical work in Mississippi.
As a thought partner for this gathering, EPU hosted two learning sessions. EPU Eminent Scholar Dr. Nichole Argo facilitated a session on communicating across difference to educate participants about the resistance they may encounter in their communities as they push for the recognition of historic events and equity-focused action. In addition, EPU held a panel discussion on how to work effectively with elected officials that included Mississippi State Representatives and Unum Fellows Christopher Bell and Zakiya Summers as well as members of the EPU team.
Along with creating new narratives around race and equity through our own programming, EPU wants to be a source of amplification for narrative work happening in the broader media landscape. See our recommendations below!
In Undivided, Han chronicles the story of four participants—two men, one Black and one white, and two women, one Black and one white—whose lives were fundamentally altered by the Undivided program (a faith-based program designed to foster antiracism and systemic change). As each of their journeys unfolded, in unpredictable and sometimes painful ways, they came to better understand one another, and to believe in the transformative possibilities for racial solidarity in a moment of deep divisiveness in America. The lessons they learned have the power to teach us all what an undivided society might look like—and how we can help achieve it.
Questions? Contact us at info@unumfund.org.
