At a time when the United States feels increasingly fractured — marked by deep political divides, rising attacks on diversity, and an erosion of shared understanding — how do we build a society where everyone belongs? And, what role can journalists play in that effort?

Journalist Shereen Marisol Meraji sits down with renowned scholar john a. powell to discuss his new book, The Power of Bridging, which lays out a framework for bringing people together across deep divides. They’ll dive into how “bridging” can foster understanding and connection in an increasingly fractured world—and how journalists can apply these ideas to their storytelling.

About the Speakers

john a.powell is Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute and Professor of Law, African American, and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He was previously the Executive Director at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at the Ohio State University, and prior to that, the founder and director of the Institute for Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota. john formerly served as the National Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He is a co-founder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council and serves on the boards of several national and international organizations. john led the development of an“opportunity-based” model that connects affordable housing to education, health, healthcare, and employment and is well-known for his work developing the frameworks of “targeted universalism” and “othering and belonging” to effect equity-based interventions. john has taught at numerous law schools including Harvard and Columbia University. His latest books are Belonging Without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World and The Power of Bridging, How to Build a World where we all Belong.

Shereen Marisol Meraji is a veteran audio producer and journalist who has been telling stories with sound for more than two decades. Shereen helped create NPR’s groundbreaking and critically acclaimed podcast covering race and identity, Code Switch. During her time as co-host and senior producer, Code Switch won numerous awards and Apple Podcasts named Code Switch its first-ever “show of the year.” She was awarded Harvard’s prestigious Nieman fellowship in 2022 before becoming an assistant professor of race in journalism and head of audio at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.