A new journalism startup is tackling polarization in the US (and asking some even bigger questions)
At the end of January 2018 I started as a Fellow in CUNY’s Tow Knight Entrepreneurial Journalism program. I joined the program to find ways to tackle polarization through a journalism-focused startup, ‘A Civil Divide’ (working title).
A big task! And I’m asking some pretty big questions. In this time when America’s social, political and economic fault lines feel daunting to explore:
- Can we imagine new ways to learn about and understand one another across social and political divides?
- Can we use journalism to create a stronger base, across communities and between diverse groups, on which civil dialogue and engagement can proceed?
The Tow Knight program acts as an early-stage incubator for media startups. And I am beyond thrilled to be building A Civil Divide alongside 11 other extremely smart, wonderful, motivated individuals creating their own new products and businesses.
With this initial post I want to explain some “whys”, “wheres” and “hows”: why I’ve chosen to tackle polarization through this program, where I currently am in the process, and how I plan to proceed from here.
And I want to invite you to follow me through this program, and join me in seeking answers to these big questions.
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