Like most liberals, I was devastated by the 2016 presidential election. Between election day and the inauguration of President Trump, I wallowed in a murky stew of rage, despair, and burning resentment - most of it directed at those Americans that used their votes to put someone I thought was wholly unqualified and incapable into the highest office of our land.

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This awful emotional state was doing me no favors, so I took inspiration from a quote I'd heard - "You can't hate someone you understand" - and decided to make a podcast about it.

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In early 2017, I began producing episodes of Make America Relate Again, a political podcast in which I had compassionate, respectful conversations about politics with women who voted for Donald Trump. I spent 2017 traveling the country, talking to women of different ages and backgrounds, with vastly different points of view - and the conversations are compelling, to say the least. We talked about gun control, abortion, sexual assault, sexism, racism, immigration, and even a few right-wing conspiracy theories. But no matter how divergent our opinions, every conversation led to some kind of coming together.

 

This project helped me get over the anger and resentment I felt so strongly after the election. The political divide in our country has led to a kind of political bigotry, and it's hurting people. Families are being torn apart and friendships have ended; and yet, alienating the people who disagree with us only serves to further entrench them in their views. To find solutions and move forward as a country, we need to relate to each other.

 

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever else you get your pods. Head to www.makeamericarelatepodcast.com for more information.