About Us

Let’s Talk Unite is a movement dedicated to reducing political polarization through stimulating collaborative dialogue and addressing our personal biases.

We aim to promote a culture of awareness and accountability by confronting our personal biases and fostering civil dialogue. Through community events and local workshops, we strive to raise awareness about polarization’s ramifications and transform the way we approach political discourse.

A Message From

Our Founder

In today’s world there exists an endless number of compelling social issues. Our efforts at Let’s Talk Unite work to address the root problem: affective polarization.

Two years ago, the tragic death of George Floyd sparked global controversy regarding police brutality and systemic racism. Concurrently, pandemic policies divided the nation. Then the capital insurrection, Asian hate crimes, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade produced widespread unrest. Recent politics have exposed the pernicious polarization plaguing our national discourse. Discussions concerning pronouns and curriculum content now threaten antipathy in even the closest friendships. Studies indicate that, long-term, partisan antipathy could engender policy paralysis and a harrowing descent into authoritarianism. Ignoring our disagreement in turn neglects these pressing issues imperative to the well-being of our communities.

I founded Let’s Talk Unite in 2021 with a mission to increase unity through respectful and productive political dialogue. Being the founder granted 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, CEO

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.

Olivia Chiang

Founder, President

Olivia Chiang is a student at The Nueva School and a passionate advocate for bridging partisan divides. Struck by the severe polarization plaguing our political system, she founded the nonprofit Let’s Talk Unite 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, designs open-source conversation guides, and hosts a podcast featuring interviews with leading researchers concerning the intersection between polarization and corporate interests, vaccine hesitancy, and religious identity. Olivia is also dedicated to promoting positive educational experiences for all students. While volunteering with the nonprofit 100 Days of Conversations, she studied 100+ conversations on youth education and co-presented at the National Department of Education and Assessment for Learning Conference. Long term, Olivia aspires to conduct transformative research that disrupts our echo chambers and reshapes our politics.