Case Studies

Our series tells four powerful bridging stories that impact individuals, communities and structures. Each case identifies the breaking dynamic, the bridging action and how it fosters belonging

An overhead view of many young people at a demonstration for climate justice. Many hold large banners. At the forefront is a huge puppet of Tierra Madre

  • El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice is a public school located in the Southside community of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York City. The case outlines how community leaders created and designed a school environment that fosters a true sense of belonging among all students and their families. This is a structural bridging case. Download here.

Listen to "Belonging in Schools: The Story of El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice"
Listen to "On being seen and heard: Students reflect on their high school experience"

 

Two women, a Black woman and an Indigenous woman, trade ceremonial tokens as others watch. They stand amongst tall pine trees.

  • The Wind & The Warrior are a collective that led a six-month Sacred Waters Pilgrimage along the Mississippi River to develop and strengthen relationships through ceremony and ritual with Black and Native culture bearers and activists. The case outlines how the journey fostered a sense of community among Black and Native peoples and Mother Earth. This is an interpersonal bridging case. Download here.

Listen to "Black and Native Folks in the Climate Justice Movement"

A group of Indonesian and Latinx Muslims gather to hold bridging dialogue. One man at left speaks as others watch with attention.

  • A Belong Circle is an intentional gathering of ten people who engage in genuine conversations that build relationships of trust, connect across differences, and create opportunities to take action together. The case outlines the curriculum, showing how readers can replicate Belong Circles. This is an interpersonal bridging case. Download here.
Listen to the "The Belong Movement"
Listen to "Belong Circles"

Five people sit at a table in dialogue; three are Black women, one is a white man, and one is a Black man who is speaking.

  • Black Alliance for Just Immigration is a community organization that led bridging dialogues between African Americans and Immigrants in the Ironbound Community Corporations Environmental Justice Program in Newark, New Jersey. The case outlines the dialogue structure and stories from the outcome. This is an interpersonal bridging case. Download here.
Listen to "Different Histories, Parallel Stories: Bridging African American and Immigrant Communities"
Listen to "Looking to Belong: A Conversation with a Diaspora Dialogue Participant"

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