Guest post by Jeannie Fox, deputy director of public policy at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Early risers to this morning’s first session of the Public Policy Action Institute titled, "Building Authentic Left-Right Coalitions" were treated to a conversation as stimulating as the Starbuck’s coffee being served. Three panelists, aided  by a skilled facilitator, attempted to outline the goals, process and rewards of building diverse coalitions of unlikely allies.

The sleepy audience had no trouble brainstorming several obstacles to doing this work: time, cost, lack of clarity about roles, perceived (or real) competition, and lack of trust, etc. "Coalition" was defined in today’s context of attempting to break through ideological gaps in order to create common-sense solutions to national and/or local issues. It was noted that in our current polarized world, bringing unexpected messengers to the public debate could garner new attention and new ideas.

To borrow from a political strategist, "It’s the relationships, stupid." As with much (or all) of our collective advocacy work, the ability to build and maintain strategic relationships was highlighted as completely core to coalition success. "It’s hard enough to be in a coalition of people who agree, let alone one where there are partners who fundamentally don’t agree" stated one panelist. This is work for the long haul, not a quick win, as it may take literally months or years to build the trust needed to find a kernel of common ground.

The panelists agreed it was important in these attempts to set the ground rules first. Partners need to be treated as equals and a level playing field arranged. As with any relationship, open communication was seen as key to working against stereotypes and false assumptions.  All on the stage felt diverse coalition-building was worth it if you were willing to invest the energy and commitment to advance the common goal.

After the caffeine kicked in, several audience members had insightful questions such as, "What does Left and Right even mean anymore?" and "How do you handle attacks on Reason?" One audience member called nonprofits "pioneers" in claiming the space to help the public, and ultimately law-makers, to move beyond the current political gridlock. The session ended with a challenge to all present to commit to reaching out to one "strange bedfellow" in the next few weeks. Hmm, who have I ruled out in the past? Where can I find a surprising partner to move beyond my usual thinking? I’ll let you know after the next cup of coffee, it’s still early on a Sunday morning!