The Rotary clubs of St. Mary’s County will host a Braver Angels workshop on November 1 to equip residents with tools for respectful disagreement and stronger community ties.
The event, set for 1:30 p.m. in Meeting Room 2 at Leonardtown Public Library, invites all community members regardless of political leanings. It aligns with the clubs’ longstanding focus on goodwill and peacebuilding through service.
Leonardtown Rotary, Charlotte Hall Rotary and Lexington Park Rotary announced the collaboration on October 18. Braver Angels, a national grassroots group, will lead the session on skills and tactics to navigate differences and identify shared ground.
The organization unites conservatives and liberals — termed Reds and Blues — in efforts to reduce national polarization. Founded after the 2016 election, Braver Angels has facilitated nearly 1,600 workshops nationwide, emphasizing self-reflection and cross-aisle dialogue.
This gathering draws from Braver Angels’ “Disagreeing Better” format, where participants explore opposing viewpoints, practice communication techniques and build strategies for constructive exchanges. Such sessions typically involve small groups practicing exercises to curb stereotypes and foster empathy, often lasting two to three hours.
“In today’s hectic, and often fragmented culture, it is so easy to become mired in our differences. Focusing on these differences breaks down communication and makes it difficult to find and implement solutions for our community,” said Melissa Rodriguez, president of Leonardtown Rotary. “One of the core principles of Rotary is to value diverse opinions and build camaraderie — doing that requires all of us to listen more and communicate better, even when we disagree.”
The clubs’ involvement reflects their 65-year dedication to peace promotion in St. Mary’s County, rooted in Rotary International’s ethos of fellowship and service. Locally, these groups have supported initiatives from food pantries to health awareness campaigns. For instance, Leonardtown Rotary awarded $15,000 in 2025 community grants to nonprofits aiding accessibility, hunger relief and historical preservation.
Charlotte Hall Rotary partnered with Community Bank of the Chesapeake in 2023 to fund $10,000 toward suicide prevention programs through the St. Mary’s County Health Department. Meanwhile, Lexington Park Rotary launched the Feed St. Mary’s food distribution effort in 2017, addressing insecurity through public-private ties.
These efforts underscore a broader pattern of addressing community fractures, whether through direct aid or awareness events. In 2017, the clubs united for an opioid abuse forum, drawing dozens to discuss prevention and recovery resources.
Participants can register through the Leonardtown Rotary website or attend on-site, with no fee required. Organizers encourage early arrival to ensure space in the library’s meeting room, which accommodates about 20 people.
Rotary’s local chapters, chartered over decades — Leonardtown in 1986, for example — continue evolving their service model to meet contemporary needs. By partnering with Braver Angels, they extend this tradition into dialogue skills, aiming to strengthen the county’s social fabric one conversation at a time.
The November 1 workshop closes with action planning, where attendees outline ways to apply new techniques in daily interactions. Whether at family tables or town halls, these tools promote the Rotary ideal of understanding through diversity.
