Dispatches from the Divide

Veteran journalist Helene Biandudi Hofer is sitting at home scripting her weekly news show when she suddenly puts down her laptop and starts to cry. She became a reporter because she wanted to help people understand each other. But after decades in the new business, she can't shake a troubling question: What if the way she's been telling stories is making our divisions worse? Just when she thinks she’s out of options, something lands in her inbox. This is Episode 5 of Dispatches from the Divide — true stories of  ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway —----- CHAPTERS (0:00) Crisis By The Fireplace (1:39) The Story She Regrets (5:12) Why News Feels Broken (6:42) A Childhood Calling (9:15) Solutions Journalism Spark (11:12) Complicating The Narrative (13:59) Teaching Looping Skills (15:44) Good Conflict Begins (18:44) What Audiences Want (23:50) Testing Nuanced Local Stories (25:47) Next Episode Tease (26:05) Credits And Wrap #Journalism #TrustInMedia #PoliticalPolarization #NewsMedia #SolutionsJournalism #MediaLiteracy #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BYUradio #DisagreeBetter #BraverAngels

Bob Hathcock helped launch a campaign to remove Julie Spilsbury from office. Now he's walking into her home—and neither of them knows how this conversation will end. In Episode 4 of Dispatches from the Divide, a bitter Mesa, Arizona, recall election fueled by political polarization, the 2024 election, and deep disagreements over local politics becomes intensely personal. Julie believes she followed her conscience. Bob believes she betrayed the conservative district that elected her. Now, with election day approaching, they finally sit down face to face. What happens when the person on the other side is suddenly sitting on your couch? —------- Subscribe to Dispatches from the Divide for more true stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway —------- CHAPTERS (0:00) Intro (0:15) Recall Rivals Face Off (1:33) Couch Talk And Tears (2:29) Why Bob Felt Betrayed (5:18) Campaign Turns Ugly (7:06) Small Gestures Of Humanity (8:19) Election Night Fallout (9:49) Staying In Church Community (13:55) Love Over Civility Talk (18:07) Lunch With Former Opponent (19:50) Politically Homeless After Recall (22:29) Return Day And Closing #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BraverAngels #DisagreeBetter #BYUradio #JulieSpilsbury #ArizonaPolitics #RecallElection #LocalPolitics #PoliticalPolarization #BridgingDivides

Julie Spilsbury was known around Mesa, Arizona, for two things: her city council seat and her cinnamon rolls. Then one public decision turned people she'd known for twenty years — church members, fellow moms, neighbors down the street — into the architects of an unprecedented recall campaign. And the man leading the charge against her was about to make a move nobody saw coming, including him. This is Episode 3 of Dispatches from the Divide — true stories of  ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway CHAPTERS (0:00) Recall Petition Shock (2:00) Why Politics Feels Like War (3:03) Cinnamon Roll Diplomacy (5:13) First Big Council Vote (7:13) Governing by Conscience (9:19) Endorsing Democrats Publicly (11:31) Bob Sparks the Recall (17:01) Signatures and Obsession (19:26) Community Fallout and Hurt (21:48) An Unexpected Meeting Setup (22:41) Next Time and Credits #JulieSpilsbury #MesaArizona #PoliticalPolarization #LocalPolitics #RecallElection #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BraverAngels #DisagreeBetter #BYUradio

The fundraiser exploded overnight — and so did the backlash. As Dave Butler's small act of compassion turns into a national story, a nagging doubt creeps in: what if he's making things worse for the people he's trying to help? In Episode 2 of Dispatches from the Divide, Dave finally makes contact with the family at the center of it all, in a pair of raw, emotional phone calls that neither side saw coming. What happens next puts his decision — and its consequences — into a whole new light. —----- Subscribe to Dispatches from the Divide for more true stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman.  —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway CHAPTERS (0:00) A Risky Fundraiser (0:45) Viral Attention Hits (2:18) Backlash and Doubt (3:57) Mistaken Identity Trouble (4:55) Trying to Reach the Family (6:45) Sister Reaches Out (7:43) A Tearful Drive Call (11:32) Talking to the Widow (14:04) Trust and Ongoing Support (14:42) Nearly 400K Raised (16:05) The Pebble and the Avalanche (18:29) Monica's Takeaway (19:47) Next Time and Credits #GrandBlancShooting #PoliticalPolarization #BridgingDivides #MoralCourage #LatterDaySaints #FaithAndForgiveness #Compassion #BraverAngels #DisagreeBetter #BYUradio

A tweet on a quiet Sunday morning stops Dave Butler cold: a shooting at a Latter-day Saint church in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He doesn't know a single victim — but he’s a member of the same faith, so the attack feels personal. As the news spreads and fear turns to anger online, Dave makes a choice that no one sees coming, one that will pull him into the national spotlight and put him directly in the path of backlash he never expected. Dispatches from the Divide features  true stories of  ordinary people in extraordinary situations that take an unexpected turn. Hosted by Monica Guzman. —----- Dispatches from the Divide is a co-production of BYUradio, Disagree Better and Braver Angels. Connect with us on social media @DispatchesfromtheDivide If you’re enjoying the podcast, you’ll love the new documentary “A House United.” Find a screening near you: https://www.jojofilm.co.uk/ahouseunited More about Disagree Better: https://disagreebetter.us/ More about Braver Angels: https://braverangels.org/ More podcasts from BYUradio: https://www.byuradio.org/ Listen to Monica Guzman’s other podcast “A Braver Way” https://www.moniguzman.com/abraverway —----- CHAPTERS (0:00) Breaking News Shock (1:09) Fear Spreads Online (2:03) Welcome to Dispatches from the Divide (3:40) Attack Details Emerge (5:25) Personal Vulnerability (6:30) A Radical Idea Appears (9:05) Walkies And Motives (11:18) Faith And Compassion (13:04) Launching The Fundraiser (14:39) Glitches And A Pivot (16:25) Viral Donations Roll In (17:54) Media Attention And Trolls (18:25) Next Episode Tease #DispatchesFromTheDivide #BraverAngels #GrandBlancShooting #Forgiveness #DisagreeBetter #TrueStoryPodcast #ActsOfCompassion #FaithInAction #PodcastEpisode #BYUradio