Bob Hathcock helped launch a campaign to remove Julie Spilsbury from office. Now he's walking into her home—and neither of them knows how this conversation will end. In Episode 4 of Dispatches from the Divide, a bitter Mesa, Arizona, recall election fueled by political polarization, the 2024 election, and deep disagreements over local politics becomes intensely personal. Julie believes she followed her conscience. Bob believes she betrayed the conservative district that elected her. Now, with election day approaching, they finally sit down face to face. What happens when the person on the other side is suddenly sitting on your couch? —------- Subscribe to Dispatches from the Divide for more true stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway —------- CHAPTERS (0:00) Intro (0:15) Recall Rivals Face Off (1:33) Couch Talk And Tears (2:29) Why Bob Felt Betrayed (5:18) Campaign Turns Ugly (7:06) Small Gestures Of Humanity (8:19) Election Night Fallout (9:49) Staying In Church Community (13:55) Love Over Civility Talk (18:07) Lunch With Former Opponent (19:50) Politically Homeless After Recall (22:29) Return Day And Closing #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BraverAngels #DisagreeBetter #BYUradio #JulieSpilsbury #ArizonaPolitics #RecallElection #LocalPolitics #PoliticalPolarization #BridgingDivides

Veteran journalist Helene Biandudi Hofer is sitting at home scripting her weekly news show when she suddenly puts down her laptop and starts to cry. She became a reporter because she wanted to help people understand each other. But after decades in the new business, she can't shake a troubling question: What if the way she's been telling stories is making our divisions worse? Just when she thinks she’s out of options, something lands in her inbox. This is Episode 5 of Dispatches from the Divide — true stories of  ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway —----- CHAPTERS (0:00) Crisis By The Fireplace (1:39) The Story She Regrets (5:12) Why News Feels Broken (6:42) A Childhood Calling (9:15) Solutions Journalism Spark (11:12) Complicating The Narrative (13:59) Teaching Looping Skills (15:44) Good Conflict Begins (18:44) What Audiences Want (23:50) Testing Nuanced Local Stories (25:47) Next Episode Tease (26:05) Credits And Wrap #Journalism #TrustInMedia #PoliticalPolarization #NewsMedia #SolutionsJournalism #MediaLiteracy #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BYUradio #DisagreeBetter #BraverAngels

Julie Spilsbury was known around Mesa, Arizona, for two things: her city council seat and her cinnamon rolls. Then one public decision turned people she'd known for twenty years — church members, fellow moms, neighbors down the street — into the architects of an unprecedented recall campaign. And the man leading the charge against her was about to make a move nobody saw coming, including him. This is Episode 3 of Dispatches from the Divide — true stories of  ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway CHAPTERS (0:00) Recall Petition Shock (2:00) Why Politics Feels Like War (3:03) Cinnamon Roll Diplomacy (5:13) First Big Council Vote (7:13) Governing by Conscience (9:19) Endorsing Democrats Publicly (11:31) Bob Sparks the Recall (17:01) Signatures and Obsession (19:26) Community Fallout and Hurt (21:48) An Unexpected Meeting Setup (22:41) Next Time and Credits #JulieSpilsbury #MesaArizona #PoliticalPolarization #LocalPolitics #RecallElection #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BraverAngels #DisagreeBetter #BYUradio

The fundraiser exploded overnight — and so did the backlash. As Dave Butler's small act of compassion turns into a national story, a nagging doubt creeps in: what if he's making things worse for the people he's trying to help? In Episode 2 of Dispatches from the Divide, Dave finally makes contact with the family at the center of it all, in a pair of raw, emotional phone calls that neither side saw coming. What happens next puts his decision — and its consequences — into a whole new light. —----- Subscribe to Dispatches from the Divide for more true stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway CHAPTERS (0:00) A Risky Fundraiser (0:45) Viral Attention Hits (2:18) Backlash and Doubt (3:57) Mistaken Identity Trouble (4:55) Trying to Reach the Family (6:45) Sister Reaches Out (7:43) A Tearful Drive Call (11:32) Talking to the Widow (14:04) Trust and Ongoing Support (14:42) Nearly 400K Raised (16:05) The Pebble and the Avalanche (18:29) Monica's Takeaway (19:47) Next Time and Credits #GrandBlancShooting #PoliticalPolarization #BridgingDivides #MoralCourage #LatterDaySaints #FaithAndForgiveness #Compassion #BraverAngels #DisagreeBetter #BYUradio

A tweet on a quiet Sunday morning stops Dave Butler cold: a shooting at a Latter-day Saint church in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He doesn't know a single victim — but he’s a member of the same faith, so the attack feels personal. As the news spreads and fear turns to anger online, Dave makes a choice that no one sees coming, one that will pull him into the national spotlight and put him directly in the path of backlash he never expected. Dispatches from the Divide features  true stories of  ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman. —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway —----- CHAPTERS (0:00) Breaking News Shock (1:09) Fear Spreads Online (2:03) Welcome to Dispatches from the Divide (3:40) Attack Details Emerge (5:25) Personal Vulnerability (6:30) A Radical Idea Appears (9:05) Walkies And Motives (11:18) Faith And Compassion (13:04) Launching The Fundraiser (14:39) Glitches And A Pivot (16:25) Viral Donations Roll In (17:54) Media Attention And Trolls (18:25) Next Episode Tease #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BraverAngels #GrandBlancShooting #Forgiveness #DisagreeBetter #TrueStoryPodcast #ActsOfCompassion #FaithInAction #PodcastEpisode #BYUradio

Four stories. Four ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances . . . that take some surprising turns. In this limited series, Monica Guzman follows individuals into moments of extreme conflict. Stakes are high—relationships, careers, and communities on the line. But just when you think you know how the story ends, one person does something to turn the whole plot on its head. These are gripping looks at courage, compassion, forgiveness, and the surprising ways people respond when tension is at its peak. Welcome to Dispatches from the Divide. From the team behind Top of Mind with Julie Rose, Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Braver Angels, and Disagree Better.

A personal note from Julie with a bittersweet announcement and some exciting changes coming to the Top of Mind feed in the coming weeks.  Watch for Dispatches from the Divide to debut right here on September 28th. A new podcast from the Top of Mind team, Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Braver Angels and Disagree Better. It's hosted by Monica Guzman and follows four ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn.

What does it mean to be lonely, and what can we do about it? On this episode of Top of Mind, psychiatrist Dr. Frank Clark explains why loneliness is a public health issue and why it doesn’t always look the way we expect. Charlotte Donlon, author of The Great Belonging, explores loneliness as a longing for belonging, while game designer Matt Fantastic shares how his board-game shop is creating a “third space” where strangers can connect. Together, they ask whether loneliness is something to solve, something to listen to, or both. GUESTS Dr. Frank Clark, psychiatrist at Prisma-Health Upstate, clinical associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville (https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/authors/frank-clark-md). Matt Fantastic, co-owner of Elm City Games in New Haven, Connecticut (https://www.elmcitygames.com/). Charlotte Donlon, spiritual director and author of The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (2:30) Loneliness as Epidemic (8:17) Defining Loneliness (10:40) Health Risks Explained (16:54) Meaning Purpose Prescription (20:34) Finding Third Spaces (25:41) Matt Fantastic Origins (26:21) Opening Elm City Games (28:55) Third Space Magic (34:43) Loneliness as Signal (36:30) Meet Charlotte Donlon (37:30) Belonging Defines Loneliness (40:03) Art as Belonging (43:57) Spiritual Loneliness (47:24) Living with Loneliness (49:35) Talking About It (51:11) Conclusion

What does it take to create a new American tradition? For years, Jay Winuk and David Paine have been fighting to transform September 11th into a National Day of Service. Now, just when their effort seems stuck, help arrives from an unexpected place. But getting Washington on board is only the beginning. How do you turn an idea into something millions of Americans will actually do year after year? And as more Americans grow up with no firsthand memory of 9/11, can service preserve something important about the way the country responded in its aftermath? In Part 2, host Julie Rose follows the surprising final chapters of an effort to change what 9/11 means on the American calendar and explores what it takes to keep the memory of that day alive for generations who weren't there to experience it. GUESTS Jay Winuk, co-founder of 9/11 Day David Paine, co-founder of 9/11 Day Cindy McGinty, 9/11 widow who played a pivotal role in the effort Fred Dombo, attorney and lobbyist Andrea Sorkin, 9/11 Day event leader Learn more and find opportunities to serve at https://www.911day.org/ Other resources for volunteer and service opportunities: https://www.americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/911-day https://createthegood.aarp.org/ https://www.justserve.org/ CHAPTERS (0:00) Part Two Setup (2:30) 2008 Political Opening (3:25) Serve America Act Push (6:02) Cindy McGinty Story (15:52) Bill Signed into Law (16:33) Ad Break (17:09) Making Service Catch On (19:07) Signature Meal Packing Events (21:26) Scaling for 25th Anniversary (23:45) Teaching the Next Generation (25:33) How to Get Involved (26:19) Closing Credits

Every September 11th, millions of Americans honor the victims of 9/11 by volunteering and doing good in their communities. But how did the anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil become a National Day of Service? In Part 1 of “The Untold Story of How America Remembers 9/11,” host Julie Rose traces the idea back to the aftermath of the attacks, when Americans responded to tragedy with an extraordinary outpouring of service and unity. After losing his brother Glenn—a volunteer firefighter and EMT who rushed to the World Trade Center to help—Jay Winuk joined his longtime colleague David Paine with an ambitious idea: What if Americans could recapture that spirit of unity every September 11th through service? They had no staff, no budget and no roadmap for navigating Washington. And turning their idea into a national tradition would prove much harder than they imagined. GUESTS Jay Winuk, co-founder of 9/11 Day David Paine, co-founder of 9/11 Day Terry Sears, nonprofit leader and former executive director of Tuesday’s Children Fred Dombo, attorney and lobbyist who helped lead the effort in Washington Learn more and find opportunities to serve at https://www.911day.org/ Other resources for volunteer and service opportunities: https://www.americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/911-day https://createthegood.aarp.org/ https://www.justserve.org/ CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (2:04) Glenn Winuk Story (4:04) Grief and Unity (9:18) David Paine Idea (12:39) Nonprofit Aftermath (16:06) No Holiday Just Action (17:13) Enter Fred Dombo (19:52) Roadblocks on Capitol Hill (22:46) Breakthrough Resolution (24:44) Not Done Yet (25:35) Part Two Tease

Artificial intelligence can write poems, compose music, create works of art, and even help produce podcasts. But if AI can create almost anything, what makes human creativity special? In this episode, we explore one of today's biggest questions with philosopher Lindsay Brainard, illustrator Jon Cockley, musician Kate Brunotts, and pioneering AI artist Claire Silver. Together, they wrestle with whether AI is replacing creativity, expanding it, or simply changing what it means to create. GUESTS Kate Brunotts, freelance music producer (https://www.breakingsound.com/kate-brunotts) John Cockley, co-founder of the illustration agency, Handsome Frank (https://www.handsomefrank.com/) Lindsay Brainard, professor of philosophy at the University of Alabama, Birmingham (https://www.lindsaybrainard.com/home) Claire Silver, AI collaborative artist (https://www.clairesilver.com/selected-work) CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (1:17) Kids Love DALL-E (2:51) AI Everywhere Now (4:14) Musicians and AI (7:16) Ownership and Credit (9:40) Illustrators Push Back (17:28) Cheese Sonnet Test (25:19) Protecting Creativity and Connection (28:05) Offloading Drudgery to AI (29:38) AI as Creative Enabler (30:19) Claire Silver AI Collaborator (34:08) Promptcraft and Taste (39:14) Authorship Influence and Rights (43:19) Ghost in the Machine Finale