Going forward

Regarding “Trump!” (Page A1, Wednesday), Tuesday’s election brought to a close a presidential campaign characterized to a large extent by divisive rhetoric. It’s up to all of us to choose how we address our diversity and create a successful and inclusive future for everyone. How shall we choose to move forward together now?

The American Leadership Forum (ALF) provides a model. ALF engages and trains diverse leaders to engage in a specific form of community conversation called dialogue which creates opportunities for people with very different world views to come together to co-create new ideas and to seek new possibilities for addressing our most pressing issues. Dialogue in many ways is the complete opposite of the debate and rhetoric that we have heard throughout this campaign, yet is something we can all choose to embrace.

What Senior Fellows from ALF have learned over the past 35 years is that once people take the time and open their minds and hearts enough to get to know one another, they can no longer dismiss each other. We recognize that we all share a basic humanity and that others hold an honest belief in their views no matter how different they are from ours.

ALF, and our network of more than 1,200 Senior Fellows, remains committed to convening and supporting the dialogues needed to bring us together rather than drive us apart. As Houstonians we have another opportunity to lead and model the kind of healing and collaborative conversations that our country will need going forward. Daniel W. Snare, president, American Leadership Forum, Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter