Beyond Red Versus Blue: Millennial Perspectives on Reuniting America

Those who have come of age in the Bush-Obama era are moving beyond the left-right fistfight of their parents' generation ... Tired of partisan stalemate, turned on by technological innovation, the emerging generations are becoming an instinctively boundary-crossing cultural and political force. – Mark Gerzon, The Reunited States of America: How We Can Cross the Partisan Divide

On the eve of the most divisive election in recent memory, there are seeds of change being planted in the United States. As our country fragments politically, a new generation of visionary leaders that sees beyond the stale answers of the Left and the Right is emerging. From the slums of Newark to the battleground of Afghanistan, from campuses across the country to Capitol Hill, each of these young pioneers has a unique story. But they all point in the same hopeful direction – toward a political culture that is oriented more to problem-solving than position-taking, and toward a future that transcends red and blue.

Inspired by Mark Gerzon's vision for a "reunited" America, join New America and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in conversation with five millennial pathfinders as they share diverse visions on how we can move beyond the partisan divide.

WELCOME

Tyler S. Bugg @tsbugg
Manager, New America NYC

MODERATORS

Mark Gerzon @Mark_Gerzon
Founder and President, Mediators Foundation

PARTICIPANTS

Courtlyn Carpenter
President, BridgeCU
Co-Founder, BridgeUSA

Jacob Davis
Former Captain, U.S. Army

Erik Fogg @erikfogg
Chief, ReConsider Media
Author, Wedged: How You Become a Tool of the Partisan Political Establishment

Steven Olikara @StevenOlikara
Co-founder and President, Millennial Action Project