Story

"If bridging divides has a heart, it's in Listen First Project."
"Listen First Project is taking heroic steps to get people to talk to each other."

Listen First Project leads the collaborative movement to heal America by building relationships and bridging divides. We transform division and contempt into connection and understanding. We enhance the impact, visibility and voice of the interpersonal bridge building field by aggregating, aligning, and amplifying the efforts of 250+ #ListenFirst Coalition partners into large scale, collective campaigns and strategies.

It started on a bus in Africa... 

2013: Listen First Project was founded by Pearce Godwin in 2013 after he wrote "It's Time to Listen" on an overnight bus ride toward the end of an eye-opening six month experience in Uganda, Africa, which followed five years of political work in Washington, DC. His message was printed in dozens of newspapers across the United States from the Miami Herald to Oklahoman, garnering a tremendously encouraging responses. LFP was born out of a desire to turn those words into action and make a tangible impact toward mending the frayed fabric of America.

2014: Launched the Listen First, Vote Second campaign to directly target the most salient case of our failure to listen to those with whom we disagree—politics. In recognition of the campaign, Pearce was honored to attend the Congressional Summit on Next Generation Leadership. Released the #ListenFirst: It Starts with Us inspirational video. 

2015: Launched the Listen First Essay Series elevating voices from around the world applying listen first to their life experience and the most challenging issues of our time. Developed Conversation Tips.

2016: Took Listen First, Vote Second to the presidential conventions, had thousands of people sign the Listen First Pledge, and began hosting Listen First Conversations on the radio.

2017: Launched the #ListenFirst Coalition of then 50+ organizations bringing Americans together across differences. Hosted a Listen First Round Table event with voters from across the political spectrum, which was called a "miracle" by reporters. Began hosting virtual Listen First Conversations on Facebook Live. The first—among San Francisco Liberals & Southern Conservatives—was watched by 20,000 people. After four years of growing Listen First Project in the margins of his life, the tragic events in Charlottesville, VA compelled Pearce to leave his marketing job and invest full time in Listen First to change the world. Listen First Project began planning a Listen First in Charlottesville event.

2018: Co-created the first National Week of Conversation including thousands of conversations across 32 states hosted by more than 130 schools, libraries, faith communities, activist groups and nonprofits. Hosted Listen First in Charlottesville event among national and local leaders. Launched business engagement initiatives to serve the workplace and recognize marketplace champions of bridging divides. Began recognizing Listen First Leaders who sign the pledge. #ListenFirst Coalition grew to more than 150 members.

2019: Building on the success of the first National Week of Conversation, launched the ongoing National Conversation Project. Led the second annual National Week of Conversation, featured on national television. #ListenFirst Coalition grew to more than 200 members.

2020: Pivoted the third annual National Week of Conversation to respond to the pandemic with a yearlong #WeavingCommunity During Crisis campaign powered by 120 organizations, which reached 20.8 million Americans and actively engaged 472,000. #ListenFirst Coalition grew to more than 250 organizations.

2021: Activated the Coalition behind the release of The Reunited States—a film about bridging divides—with Founder Pearce Godwin as Associate Producer. Created the #HealAmericaPledge to harness the inspiration of the film into an ongoing bridge building journey for its audience, announced during the Red & Blue Carpet Event featuring several #ListenFirst Coalition leaders. Currently developing large-scale, high profile events and campaigns along an arc from inspiration to conversation to action to heal America.