Courageous Citizenship: A Ford Legacy for Divided Times
A Braver Angels Program
We are living through a period of profound strain in American civic life.
Disagreement, once the engine of a healthy democracy, has too often become division. The systems and incentives shaping our public square reward outrage, deepen mistrust, and make it harder for people to work together across differences. The result is not just political dysfunction, it is a breakdown in our ability, as citizens, to solve problems together.
But this is not inevitable.
Across the country, Americans are rediscovering something essential: that self-government only works when people have the skills, habits, and courage to engage across differences; to contend without contempt and to build together where interests overlap.
We call this courageous citizenship.
There is a long tradition of this kind of leadership in Grand Rapids—one grounded in steadiness, humility, and a commitment to the common good, exemplified by Gerald R. Ford. This event builds on that legacy for the moment we are in now.
What will happen? Leaders from Braver Angels, a national nonprofit working on courageous citizenship across differences, will offer an interactive presentation on how we got to this difficult moment in America and what we can as individuals and communities to break the decades-long cycle of polarization, find common ground, and work together to solve problems and build a flourishing community.
Details on Attending
Where
Ford Presidential Museum
303 Pearl St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
When
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Private Friends of Ford Reception: 5:30 p.m. (For those with Lieutenant Commander membership level and above.)
Program: 6:30 p.m.
Program Supporters
In partnership with the Secchia Family Foundation, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation is proud to bring Braver Angels to Grand Rapids.
