Moving Forward with Hope

 

By: Tim Shriver

 

Two years ago, my organization, the Dignity Index, issued a warning to our country: Our national addiction to dehumanizing contempt had reached a point at which the future of the country was at stake. Contempt, not policy differences, our data suggested, is tearing us apart.

Contempt is tearing our families apart, contributing to our mental health crisis, rupturing trust between people of differing political parties, and creating a dangerous spiral toward splitting the country in two.

Nothing has changed after Donald Trump's sweeping victory in this month's election. And nothing would have changed if Kamala Harris had won. As President Barack Obama noted, "Elections have consequences." One glaring consequence of the 2024 election is that our wounded relationships and deeply damaged trust in each other are more in need of healing than ever before.

Elections create winners and losers, but they don't ease contempt or restore relationships. If anything, they risk making tensions worse as the losing side descends into anger and despair while the winning side plots a course toward domination...

Finding common ground after the 2024 election - Tim Shriver on MSNBC

Tim Shriver joined Stephanie Ruhle for an important conversation about how we move forward as a nation after the election.

The future of our country (and relationships) depends on how we treat each other—not just in agreement, but especially in disagreement. Click HERE or the GIF above to watch the entire interview. 

The Dignity Movement Update

Another GREAT week for the Dignity Movement! 

  • Tim had a busy week on the road, starting with a stop at O'Hare Airport on Veterans Day to "step up for veterans." On Thursday night, he joined Stephanie Ruhle at MSNBC studios for an important conversation on The 11th Hour. He closed out the week as the keynote speaker at the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE). 
     

  • Tami kicked off the week with community and nonprofit leaders in Anchorage before flying to NYC on Tuesday. There, she joined UNITE team members Alicia, Steven, Dan, and Stephanie for an engaging corporate training session.
     

Disagreeing with dignity: Salt Lake School District hopes to be nation's first 'dignity district'

The Salt Lake City School District kicked off its quest to become the nation's first "dignity district" with a Unity Summit at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda. The event brought together 150 student leaders to promote respect, reduce hate, and encourage civic responsibility using the Dignity Index. Superintendent Elizabeth Grant highlighted the importance of student involvement in building a culture of dignity throughout the district. Our team members Karren, Iradakunda, and Steven led a hands-on session for these students leaders, exploring ways to apply the principles of dignity in their schools. Read more about the Unity Summit here.

Students for Dignity at Utah Tech

A huge shoutout to Kylie Tingey, a student at Utah Tech University who has been working all year to charter a new Students for Dignity group on her campus. The charter was approved last week and Kylie has hit the ground running with this new S4D chapter!

Thank you for being part of this journey with us—stay tuned for more updates and inspiring stories ahead!

 
 
Kate Larsen