You can use the next 10 days to create new, dynamic connections

The greatest threat facing our country isn’t a virus or an external bad guy. It is us. Slowly retreating to our extremes and vilifying one another, collapsing what’s left of our common ground. We cannot cancel, erase and censor our way to a stronger society, and we cannot live out our ideals or solve the most pressing issues facing our communities if our backs are toward one another.

The antidote to polarization is not silence. It is discourse. It is connection.

From May 1st to May 10 every year, our community hosts an effort to build back our connective tissue called the 10 Days of Connection. During these 10 days, we ask everyone in South Florida to pause and build a relationship with someone whose views in life are different than your own.

Instead of writing each other off, it’s time to hear each other out. To focus on what unites us. To see the humanity in one another, and to find healthy ways to build community with those from different places.

These next 10 days are a choose-your-own-adventure. You can build a connection experience on your own, or sign up for dozens of free events designed to help you see the world from someone else’s eyes. The events range from light to intense, allowing you to find issue areas and levels of engagement that feel right for you.

As you skim the calendar at 10daysofconnection.org/2022-calendar that 170+ local organizations have put together, you can sort by intensity level, topic or location. Tens of thousands of your neighbors are going to join in to find common ground, build connections and increase their understanding of different issue areas.

Every one of us is responsible for increasing the health of our community. We're in this boat together. And for the next 10 days, we owe it to ourselves and our community to pick up an oar and row.

This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 10:27 PM with the headline "You can use the next 10 days to create new, dynamic connections."