This is the story of a self-described Mitt Romney Republican who voted for Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, wrote in Paul Ryan, and voted for Donald Trump. Do I have your attention?
More so than almost any other conversation I’ve brought you in the last seven and half years, this one embodies the core mission of Our Voices Matter.
I ask that you give my guest permission to speak his truth, and that you have the courage to listen with an open mind.
In doing so, my bet is that by the end of our conversation, you will find at least one thing you have in common with him. That is my goal.
“How Could You Have”?
Terrence Keeley made his mark in the financial world as Managing Director & Global Head of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, for more than 12 years.
He was a senior financial advisor to the Vatican under Pope Francis; he now runs two financial services firms, Impact Evaluation Lab and 1Point Six; and he’s a devout Catholic with seven siblings.
Several of them are currently not speaking to him. “How could you have?” is the question now routinely making its way into the family group chat.
The estrangement from his sister, Michelle, is hitting him especially hard. Their respective views of the killing of Renée Good has torn them apart. It is one of the reasons Terry wanted to do this podcast interview.
To talk about how the political divisions in the country have permeated throughout his family — and so many other families across our nation.
To explore a nuanced conversation about a variety of hot button issues, including how to disagree without demonizing the other person.
To let his siblings know how much he loves them — and help us all remember and reconnect with our shared humanity.
Civil Dialogue Takes Practice
Truthfully, it would have been difficult for me to have this conversation a few years ago.
I still have lots of room for improvement, but through more than 150 conversations on this podcast, and my work as Co-founder of Civil Dialogues, I’m getting better at doing this.
Like anything else, it requires practice. Sometimes we stumble and fall short, but the more we do it, the better we get.
At times you will hear each of us struggling to choose our words. And just so you know, nothing has been edited out.
This is Terry and Linda wading into the muck and coming out on the other side in one piece.
From ICE and immigration to Trump and Pope Leo, no topic was off limits.
I urge you to watch or listen to the very end, especially if you are estranged from someone close to you.
Michelle, this one’s for you.
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