With an election coming up it is easy to think that we as a country are more divided than ever. But are we really? And what exactly does division mean in this context; there are layers and nuances that we may feel aware of in our “real lives” but get boiled down to polarizations, or “us versus them” when we have to speak about it. 

A nationwide initiative, called One Small Step, is working to bridge these divides and to sow unison, whether perceived or actual. And WJFF Radio Catskill is one of seven radio stations chosen in the U.S. to be a part of this project. 

We began in May and will continue until the end of the year, with a mission to record 25 conversations between two community members who come from differing political backgrounds. The conversations are not a political debate, rather it’s all about getting to know each other and sharing personal stories. 

One Small Step (OSS) is a part of StoryCorps, and the organization has conducted research that shows that those who participate in these recorded conversations leave feeling more empathetic toward their partner, and, that some participants show significant levels of increased empathy for all people on “the other side” after participating in OSS.

Since the initiative officially launched in 2021, over 5,000 people across 40 states have taken part in OSS interviews. One Small Step is rooted in “contact theory,” which states that meaningful interactions with those of different backgrounds and/or beliefs can turn “thems” into “us-es.” 

Over the last few years, accomplished scientists and pollsters have evaluated various aspects of OSS and the research shows that exposure to OSS shifts Americans’ beliefs and behaviors, putting us on a path to normalizing cross-partisan conversation.

So let’s go back to the question of “are we really that divided?” Well, according to the organization More in Common, Americans are less divided than most of us think. They studied something called the Perception Gap that found that the estimated proportion of Republicans and Democrats holding “extreme” views is 55 percent, whereas the actual proportion is only 30 percent. 

What does this mean? To me, it means that the way that we view people who have different values and political beliefs than us may not actually be true. We are more alike than we think. 

After recording six of these OSS conversations so far I have found that it really is true. Getting to witness 12 strangers sit down face to face and have a 50-minute conversation has been an enlightening and uplifting experience. Could a Trump conservative who has lost friends over who he voted for get along with a liberal Buddhist? Indeed, yes they can. They talked about their chicken flocks and how having these breakthrough conversations are essential for a more peaceful future. In fact, many conversations continue on after they leave the recording room and head into the parking lot. 

The feedback since we started this project has been an overwhelming “this is so needed right now.” 

While I agree it is needed I urge you to take a step back out of the “right now.” We exist in our social bubbles, from who we are friends with to what media we consume. This can make us feel (at this time three months before an election) that we will never be unified, that we can never have relationships with those who think differently. 

But you may find that if you sit down with a neighbor who you’ve never met before, who has a political sign in their yard that you would never vote for, that you can talk about your chickens and your jobs and your families and your community service organizations and find yourself taking one small step toward each other across this (not-so-great) divide. 

For more information and to apply to be matched for a conversation go to www.wjffradio.org, call the station at 845-482-4141, or email isabel@wjffradio.org.