“I plan to contribute to community efforts to preserve and protect the beautiful environments in Maine.”

“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 am more hopeful towards the future, and I am honestly surprised that so many people I met are so similarly motivated. I think it was truly amazing to have this experience where I got to go out and communicate effectively about opinion and belief without stereotype or judgment.”

“I learned how to listen to people and respect them as a person not just judging by their ideas, and how to be an active listener and catch myself if I climb the ladder of inference.”

“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.” 

“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.”

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

“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.”