In this episode of Up The Anti, hosts Alex Iannucci and Sydney Lobosco explore bridging divides and engaging those potentially disinterested with marketing consultant Sean Momtahen.

They discuss strategies for finding common ground, centering empathy, and fostering collaboration across diverse perspectives. The conversation examines the media's role in perpetuating division, responsibilities in equity work, navigating biases authentically, and the impact of personal interactions in promoting understanding.

Join them for an enlightening discussion on empathy, bias navigation, and bridge-building in today's social landscape.

Some of the topics covered in this episode include:

• Importance of showing unconditional love and acceptance
• Connecting through shared struggles
• Authentic communication's impact
• Media's role in perpetuating division
• Labor of equity work and minoritized individuals
• Challenge of authentic conversations without biases
• Role of personal interactions in driving understanding

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Introduction to the podcast, hosts Alex and Sydney welcome guest Sean Momtahen.

4:17 Sean speaks about his journey into understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and the influence of his wife.

5:30 Discussion on challenges of engaging a broad audience on DEI topics.

7:45 Sean shares the impact of having a trusted person to ask questions about DEI.

10:10 Hosts and guest discuss the role of media in shaping narratives and creating division.

12:35 Importance of consistent messaging in reaching out to disinterested individuals.

17:20 Conversation on political polarization and its effects on personal relationships.

18:50 Emphasis on the importance of safe spaces for conversations, especially in educational settings.

20:43 Sean's frustration with people who don't care and the responsibility of communicating with them.

22:00 Discussion on the importance of unconditional love and acceptance in bridging gaps.

24:15 Acknowledgment of shared struggles, like affording rent, in connecting people.

26:30 Impact of small conversations in driving change.

28:50 Hosts encourage intimate and meaningful conversations for better understanding.

32:21 Alex shares an anecdote about a wealthy institution supporting Black Lives Matter despite facing donor backlash.

36:15 Discussion on hyper-independence, societal pressure, and the need for community support.

37:40 Closing thoughts, hosts express gratitude, and call to action for listeners to engage in empathetic communication.

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This episode of Up The Anti is