Testimonials
“Ep. 11 ("Political opposites discuss a controversy") is a fantastic example of how powerful it can be to get underneath the usual talking points of a culture war and start to glimpse the personal fears and worries at the heart of these debates.
I love the way Ken very explicitly and transparently revealed his own opinions, promised to ask questions of all sides, and then walked us through the techniques he was using to facilitate the conversation--right out in the open.
The two guests did a remarkably good job listening to each other and trying to understand each other---without pretending like they agreed. I felt "smarter" after listening to this podcast, and I don't say that every day.”
Amanda Ripley, Journalist & Author of High Conflict
“One of the most courageous ways to have conversations is to put curiosity first — ahead of winning, ahead of impressing others, ahead, even, of the need to be right. This podcast puts in the effort, and it shows.”
Monica Guzman, Senior Fellow for Public Practice, Braver Angels
“As a participant and frequent listener, I appreciate these conversations because they represent a sincere effort to bring together people with different views on a controversial topic. No sound bites, no raised voices, no assuming of bad intentions. Instead, people volunteer to have s conversation in good faith to share their views and better understand the opinions of others. Ken, the moderator, is an excellent model of what it means to listen to understand, and I'm grateful for his efforts.”
Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach at Parents Defending Education
“I spoke with Rabbi Dov in episode 11 and thought we would be on two sides of a political spectrum. Instead, I saw in him a human being, wounded just like me. I saw two men trying to protect the people around them with broken tools.”
Willie Carver, 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year and Author of Gay Poems for Red States
“Ken has a special talent for bringing together people with vastly diverse views. His superb moderation skills create an environment for honest, open, and productive conversations on hot topics. My mind has been opened to so many new thoughts and ideas to consider. Each podcast has been highly enlightening for me.”
Mary Thomas-Vallens, Braver Angels Moderator Team Leader
“Ken has a particular genius for helping us recognize what we might keep hidden these days, namely, that yearning to connect, or re-connect, across all these cultural and political chasms we’ve created. He is a wise friend, a good listener with solid expertise, but then also an authentic partner in the search for something better. In my conversations with him I believe I become my better self”
John Wagner, United Methodist Pastor in Middletown, OH
“Ken Futernick's podcast Courageous Conversations About Schools is just what the times call for – a forum that turns down the heat but sheds lights through thoughtful dialogue on the hot-button issues that threaten to turn schools into ideological battlegrounds. Ken is a skillful moderator who strives for mutual understanding despite disagreements. His podcast could be just as easily titled Insightful and Hopeful Conversations.”
John Fensterwald, Reporter and Editor at EdSource
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