seven evidence-based strategies that can guide community leaders, stakeholders, and individuals to foster greater connection across lines of difference in their communities. Strategies include: • Provide more opportunities for connection • Increase the perception that connecting across difference is the “community norm” • Foster feelings of local c... See more

“What unites everybody around Pittsburgh is the sports. Sports unites a lot of people from all different areas around the city that meet up at that sports stadium.” — Charlie, a 64-year-old politically unaffiliated white woman from Pittsburgh

Americans, on average, are most interested in working across lines of difference to achieve a mutual goal that improves their community (compared to other types of bridging activities).

the mere fact that a region is racially and ethnically diverse does not automatically mean that people are interacting more across lines of difference, or that they want to. 78 There also needs to be infrastructure and programming that helps to facilitate interactions across difference, and a culture of connection that helps to bolster such efforts... See more

“The first thing I did that was fun when I got to Kansas City was go to a music festival. I think it was either jazz or like a Caribbean festival, and it was full of all types of people...So I think music brings us together.” — Andres, 57-year-old conservative Latino man from Kansas City “It just seems the whole community really rallies around thei... See more

These factors are more predictive of interest than demographic characteristics, suggesting that psychological factors may play a more significant role than identity in shaping people’s approach to connection

The most common reason Americans give for not interacting more with people from different backgrounds is a “lack of opportunity.” • About a quarter of Americans, on average, say that a “lack of opportunity” prevents them from connecting more across all lines of difference (race/ethnicity: 28 percent, politics: 21 percent, socioeconomic status: 30 p... See more

Creating more spaces for people to work together and solve community problems v —and incentivizing engagement in these spaces by removing barriers to entry—could be an important way to engage more Americans in all forms of bridging behavior.

The discrepancy between interest and engagement for “working to achieve a mutual goal” is likely reflective of the fact that this behavior often requires intentional coordination, resourcing, and planning.