Can sharing a meal help heal an American political culture that increasingly seems to be breaking bad instead?
Former S.C. Gov. David Beasley, who led the United Nations’ World Food Program when it won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, thinks it can. And he’s planning to give it a try by asking people all over the country to share a meal with their political opponents. It’s an initiative he calls Breaking Bread Together.
The idea isn’t to debate, organizers say, but to listen, find common ground and rediscover the real human beings behind the disagreements.
“We’ve forgotten how to disagree without losing sight of each other’s humanity,” Beasley said in an Aug. 27 release. “Breaking Bread Together isn’t about erasing our differences. It’s about proving that they don’t have to divide us. When people slow down, share a table, and truly listen to one another, communities grow stronger and real progress becomes possible.”
Organizers say events will begin rolling out this fall in partnership with local organizations.
“Breaking Bread Together is built on the belief that lasting change doesn’t start in Washington,” spokesperson Olivia Weidie said. “It starts around kitchen tables, church halls, and community farms in cities and towns across America.”
- To learn more about the initiative as it develops, follow Beasley on X.com.
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