About Us

Let’s Talk Unite is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to combatting affective polarization through stimulating constructive dialogue across the political spectrum. We aspire to promote a culture of accountability and awareness in which members confront their biases and welcome divergent perspectives.

Let’s Talk Unite inspires bipartisan discourse through free digital resources, local workshops, and a podcast. We have high school and college students in all executive and teaching roles so that they gain invaluable communication and leadership skills. We are fortunate to have a strong board of advisors who are aiding the expansion of Let’s Talk Unite across the United States.

A Message From

Our Founder

There exist an endless number of compelling social issues. I founded Let’s Talk Unite in 2021 to address the root problem impeding progress: affective polarization.

Recent politics have exposed the pernicious polarization plaguing our national discourse. Discussions concerning pronouns, abortion, guns, and immigration threaten antipathy between families and friends. Studies indicate that, long-term, affective polarization might engender policy paralysis and authoritarianism. In essence, ignoring our disagreement in turn neglects the pressing issues imperative to the well-being of our communities.

Let’s Talk Unite resists this harrowing future by inspiring tolerance and understanding among outpartisans. Being the founder grants me the unique opportunity to establish values with personal meaning to me—among them, accountability, forgiveness, and open-mindedness.

I am immensely grateful to our community partners, who have allowed us to carry out our work in an effectual and sustainable manner, and welcome you to join us as a partner, sponsor, or volunteer.

Sincerely,
Olivia Chiang
Founder

Our Team

We are a coalition of students, scholars, educators, and organizations united by a shared dedication to fight affective polarization within our respective fields.

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Charlotte Kofman

President

Charlotte Kofman is a senior at The Kehillah School. She is passionate about bridging partisan divides and fostering productive political discourse. Kofman was drawn to LTU’s mission in 2024 and quickly became involved in the organization. Ever since, Kofman has organized local conferences, managed LTU’s Public Relations and Events divisions, and scaled LTU to seven chapters around the globe. Kofman aspires to continue expanding the LTU community, inspiring activism that challenges entrenched viewpoints and contributes to a more collaborative political culture.

Olivia Chiang

Founder

Olivia Chiang is a sophomore at Stanford University. She is a passionate advocate for bridging partisan divides. Struck by the severe polarization plaguing our political system, she founded the LTU in 2021 to raise awareness about polarization’s ramifications and transform the way we approach political discourse. She leads local workshops on identifying bias and manipulation and hosts a podcast featuring interviews with leading researchers concerning the intersection between polarization and corporate interests, vaccine hesitancy, and religious identity. Long term, Olivia aspires to conduct research that disrupts our echo chambers and revitalizes our political discourse.

Bay Area, California Chapter

Kensie Pao

Director of International Chapter Relations

Kensie Pao is a senior at Palo Alto High School. She was inspired to join LTU upon noticing the extreme partisanship and lack of civic engagement in her local community. It became apparent to Pao that productive civil dialogue is an essential component of a healthy community. Pao is also the President of her school’s Book Club and Young Sheldon Club.

Neel Gupta

Director of Public Relations

Neel Gupta is a junior at The Nueva School. He joined LTU to address systemic corruption exacerbated by political polarization through the lens of psychology, critical race theory, and public policy. Gupta is the Arts & Culture Editor for his school newspaper and an intern at the Los Altos Town Crier. Gupta also enjoys dancing, true crime, and reading in his free time.

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Mathilde Huynh

Director of Events & Director of Recruitment

Huynh is a junior at Henry M. Gunn High School. She is interested in encouraging people to welcome and engage with diverse political ideologies and move beyond partisan thinking. Huynh is the Co-President of YMCA Youth and Government and a member of her school dance team. In her free time, Huynh enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with her friends.

Averie Chiang

Director of Film & Media

Averie Chiang is a sophomore at The Nueva School. She is dedicated to creating social impact through photography, videography, and social media. Chiang is a social media intern for Reel2e and the social media lead for her school’s Social Impact Filmmaking Club. In her free time, Chiang loves crafting, filming TikTok dances, and spending time with her friends.

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Ella Cohen

Ella Cohen is a sophomore at Castilleja. With the partisan division permeating American political culture, Cohen believes that the best way to bring people together is through productive bipartisan discourse. Cohen is a staff writer and photographer for Castilleja Counterpoint. In her free time, Cohen enjoys going to concerts and meeting new people.

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Neil Sahami

Neil Sahami is a junior at Gunn High School. Concerned about heightening polarization in his local community, Sahami joined LTU to encourage fellow youth to participate in productive, bipartisan discourse. He is the Technical Coordinator for his school’s TEDx Club. In his free time, Sahami enjoys cooking, doing theater, and learning foreign languages.

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Hadar Weissman

Hadar Weissman is a junior at Gunn High School. She is deeply interested in how the media shapes polarization. Weissman is the Co-Community Outreach Officer of YMCA Youth and Government and a student teacher at Edgewood House Preschool. In her free time, she enjoys baking, doing yoga, and spending time with her family and friends.

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Isa Wu

Wu is a sophomore at Palo Alto High School. She is a passionate advocate for civic engagement. Wu joined LTU because she identified bipartisan dialogue as a powerful tool for fighting partisan antipathy. She is the President and Founder of her school’s Anthropology Club. In her free time, Wu enjoys trivia, music, and spending time with her friends.

Violet Callahan

Callahan is a sophomore at The Nueva School. She deeply values civic engagement and healthy political discourse. Callahan’s experience in journalism taught her the importance of non-partisan writing. She joined LTU to combat polarization in journalism, media, and beyond. In her free time, Callahan enjoys spending time with her cats, reading, and sketching.

Keerthi Raj

Keerthi Raj is a senior at Palo Alto High School. She joined LTU to spread awareness about political and affective polarization through advocacy and action. Raj is the Photo Editor for the Midpeninsula Post, Co-President of Dream Volunteers, and Co-President of We Kids United Corp. She enjoys playing lacrosse in her free time.

Mila Wanek

Mila Wanek is a junior at The Nueva School. She is passionate about American politics, music, and environmental activism. She is Co-Lead of her school’s Music Production Club and a member of the Environmentalism and Divestment Clubs. Wanek’s favorite component of LTU’s mission is its inclusion of, and emphasis on, diverse political perspectives.

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Ally Goldberg

Goldberg is a junior at The Kehillah School. She is dedicated to fostering constructive civil discourse that encourages participants to move beyond their partisan labels. Goldberg is the Founder of her school’s Business Club and a member of the Palo Alto Youth Advisory Council and Leadership Circle. She enjoys reading and writing for fun.

Ines Bensoussan

Ines Bensoussan is a sophomore at Menlo-Atherton High School. She is passionate about promoting healthy civic dialogue. Outside of politics, Bensoussan enjoys dancing, singing opera, performing musical theatre, and listening to radio-style music. She looks forward to promoting political awareness among young people with LTU.

Sofia Chow

Sofia Chow is a junior at The Nueva School. She has competed in her high school Ethics Bowl for three years. The experience developed her strong interest in promoting collaborative political discourse. Sofia joined LTU to spark conversation about political and affective polarization, and encourage youth to find common ground by discussing the values shaping their political beliefs.

Hildegard Kirsch Kutz

Hildegard Kirsch Kutz is a junior at The Nueva School. She is interested in combating polarization through bipartisan conversations and mutual understanding. Kutz is a leader of the High School Clean Energy Investment Coalition and her school’s Feminism Club. In her free time, she loves to hike, bake, and make puzzles.

Incoming Founding Chapter Presidents

Matias Gonzales

Tampa Bay, Florida

Matias Gonzalez is a junior at St. Petersburg Collegiate High School. Growing up with a passion for politics and writing but lacking a community in which to express his ideas, Gonzales is dedicated to carving out a safe space where everyone is encouraged to speak their mind. Gonzales is the Founder of Rewind Editorial and the Editor-In-Chief of The Adolescent Times. In his free time, Gonazales enjoys writing, language learning, photography, and music production.

Noa Sánchez Bermúdez

Spain

Noa Sánchez Bermúdez is a senior at the American School of Valencia. Years of MUN and Student Council fueled her interest and advocacy in politics and diplomacy. Through LTU, Sánchez Bermúdez aspires to promote bipartisan dialogue that bridges the divides that polarization proliferates. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and playing soccer. Sánchez Bermúdez looks forward to spreading the LTU mission to Spain.

Angèle Bellin

France

Angèle Bellin is a senior at IBS of Provence: International School in France with a passion for political discourse and activism. She is thrilled to spread LTU’s mission to another continent. As someone who has always thrived on lively political debate, Bellin joined LTU to foster bipartisan dialogue in her own community. She aspires to build a team of motivated and creative youth. In her free time, Bellin enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and doing arts and crafts.

Sofia Graham-Eiroa

New York City, New York

Sofia Graham-Eiroa is a junior at High School For Math Science and Engineering in New York City. She is interested in promoting bipartisan discourse, particularly regarding environmental issues, gun violence, and public safety. Graham-Eiroa joined LTU to encourage representation for more diverse voices in her community. In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding, playing instruments, writing articles for her school’s newspaper, hiking, and playing sports.

Lucas Alderson

Los Angeles, California

Lucas Alderson is a senior at Palisades Charter High School. He is an officer in the Palisades-Malibu Youth & Government delegation and a member of the Westwood Greenway Project. In his free time, Alderson enjoys writing, watching movies, hiking, and mountain biking. Alderson looks forward to forming a robust team that helps expand LTU’s reach. He also hopes to build a strong foundation for LTU to expand within his school and city.

Sophia McCormick

Washington D.C.

Sophia McCormick is a senior at Walt Whitman High School. Living in the capital informed her of the problems that polarization produces. McCormick joined LTU to encourage youth to become more involved in their communities through public discourse. She enjoys running a small business, playing soccer, and reading. McCormick looks forward to developing a lasting chapter. She hopes to create spaces where anyone, regardless of background, can express their opinions without judgment.