“Just like belonging in the greater world, I was really moved by everyone’s sense of kindness and support. There was no aggressive language or hate speech, and it was really nice to have that experience.”

“That it’s okay to have your idea come from a completely different place than those around you.”

“That it’s important to listen just as much as you speak or want to be heard.”

“At the time, I was a very polarized person. I frequently debated with family, friends, and strangers, but my focus was almost always on “winning” rather than actually understanding or developing. I’ve come to appreciate the mission behind [Can We?] more than ever.” 

“I am thinking that this will shape my ability to debate in the future. I often have a hard time thinking about other people’s perspectives, and this helped a lot.”

“I would plan to have difficult discussions with people in my family who don’t share the same opinion I do to convince them to be more politically active…”

“Everyone believes in a future where they’re given a fair chance to be who they are. I felt much more seen than I ever have in my entire life.”

“I learned a lot about how identity impacts what you believe. Everywhere I go, the people I talk to, the entire world influences what I believe.”