New research shows Americans really want to connect with people who are different from them, but they need good chances to do so. The biggest problem isn't that people don't want to connect - it's that there aren't enough opportunities. Organizations can help by creating three things: more chances for people to meet, shared goals to work on together, and ways to build on success.
The research comes from More in Common and shows people prefer working together on community projects rather than just talking about their differences. A real example is Write to Be, a nonprofit that helps young women in Haiti, which brought together people from very different backgrounds who worked side by side. The key is being intentional about creating spaces for relationships to grow, just like tending a garden.
When people connect across differences, they want to keep doing it, creating a positive snowball effect that can change whole neighborhoods. Organizations need to make relationship-building a central part of their community work, meeting people where they are with convenient times and low-pressure environments.