LUCY EISGRUBER
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MY STORY:
I am a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. College opened my eyes to different cultures, whether it was spending a semester abroad to interning for two summers in San Francisco. I will be working for an IT startup in Indianapolis and I am excited to begin and learn more about the industry. I love new places and meeting interesting people who engage my intellectual curiosity. Each person has a story to tell. I grew up having political and cultural discussions around the dinner table with my family in which we would debate over something new every night. Healthy debate is a staple in our household and I want to continue this with my generation. I founded this podcast to give others an outlet and a forum to talk about their beliefs. I believe that misperceptions can be better understood if people just sat down and talked about their differences. Hopefully, I want to reduce conflict in a polarized community. Passions: family & friends, faith, podcasts, food (especially Jif Creamy Peanut Butter & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus), cooking, yoga & working out, reading, traveling, and meeting new people and staying in touch with those I value! |
WHEN I WENT ACROSS THE AISLE:
I always enjoy a healthy conversation and asking the pressing questions. However, this was not a regular mindset. Back in high school, I would think that my beliefs were the "right" beliefs and would want to convince others to believe what I did. This changed when I arrived at Miami and took an introductory level class about diversity which opened my eyes to considering what happens across the aisle. My professor welcomed diversity of thought and encouraged us to ask questions that made us feel uncomfortable. This was a lightbulb moment for me when I realized the importance of truly understanding people instead of trying to convince them of my beliefs. If you are truly tolerant, you will respect the other side's beliefs! So...with that being said...enjoy Across the Aisle! I hope you learn something new! |
HANNAH SCIFRES
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MY STORY
Like many children I grew up blindly accepting my family’s political beliefs as fact and the only acceptable beliefs for a person in the Christian Church. It wasn’t until attending Saint Louis University, where I majored in Entrepreneurship and Marketing with a minor in Service Leadership, that I began really questioning the basis for my beliefs. College certainly expanded my horizons – I began interacting and befriending people of different races, religions, and political beliefs. I slowly started to recognize and understand the many privileges that I hold and how those lacking privileges are systemically oppressed in our country. I believe our country needs serious systemic change and I view politics as the best way to create a more equitable and just society. I often say that all things are politics. Therefore, we can no longer choose political apathy or avoid political discussion with our family and friends. Joining the Across the Aisle Team aligns with my value for civil discourse and I’m happy to bring a unique perspective to the team! Outside of talking politics, I work in marketing at a global manufacturing company in Indianapolis. In my free time I enjoy doing yoga, eating Indian food, reading memoirs, and having meaningful conversation with those I love. |
WHEN I WENT ACROSS THE AISLE:
After I officially turned away from my family’s political beliefs, I thought it was my responsibility to change their minds. As you can imagine this led to many heated discussions and was very unproductive. I changed my approach and now spend more time asking questions about what others believe instead of telling them what I believe. I think we all just want to be heard, and I now recognize that you can never force anyone to change their mind. What is truly important is that we continue the conversation. We cannot avoid political topics just because they may make us uncomfortable. I believe there is a way we can have political conversation that is both civil and productive, and this is the only way we will ever make progress. |
CARA YODER
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MY STORY:
To me, diversity is like water. It's everywhere, and entirely underrated. Growing up, most of my friends didn't look like me, and many of the groups I joined in college had different ideologies or characteristics than those with which I personally identified. Like many people when away from home, I grew into a truer version of myself. I confronted my beliefs almost every day. I took inventory, holding fast to what I really believed in and releasing ideas I had adopted from my family and friends but had never fully agreed with. I valued my experiences more and sought new ones to keep shaking and challenging my core beliefs. I'm elated to join the Across the Aisle team. Everyone on the team is exceedingly thoughtful and passionate about creating understanding in a polarized political environment. I'm looking forward to spreading the tolerance and compassion. Outside of the podcast and my day job, I have an overwhelming rotation of hobbies that generally relate to either food, creating anything artistic, exercising, traveling, and meeting friends. |
WHEN I WENT ACROSS THE AISLE:
I discovered that I love people, I love learning, and I love listening to various perspectives, especially those I don't agree with. I'd like to help people foster a similar interest in understanding their neighbors |
"Political tolerance strongly correlates with political confidence and political intolerance strongly correlates with a lack of confidence."
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