john a. powell spells his name in lowercase to reflect humility and interconnectedness. He is director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California Berkeley. Born to former sharecroppers, with a father who was a Christian minister, powell grew up in a large Black family where community and belonging were central.

His book The Power of Bridging, an exploration of the transformative practice of bridging across divides, is rooted in both personal experience and decades of work in civil rights and structural equity.

powell defines bridging as actively connecting with others. Not to persuade or avoid, but to be present, curious, and empathetic. Bridging means seeing and valuing the humanity in others, even when we disagree.

Othering, by contrast, is viewing people as fundamentally different or less deserving. He introduces a new term—breaking. Breaking is when we deny the full complexity or humanity of those we see as “other,” reducing them to caricatures or stereotypes.

True belonging, he says, means feeling connected to oneself and to others. powell argues that everyone, even those in dominant groups, can feel a lack of belonging, especially during times of social division.

He notes that fear, often fueled by what he calls “conflict entrepreneurs,” speeds up breaking and deepens division. Stories that blame others for society’s problems only widen the gap.

powell sees bridging not just as possible but as necessary. He acknowledges the difficulty—especially in a polarized culture—but says that connection is essential, even when we don’t know the outcome. He calls himself a “possibilist,” someone who believes what we do matters, even if we can’t predict what will come of it.

I want to learn to bridge.

“Can I become a bridge? I may ask myself. And this immediately calls up other questions—Do I want to bridge? Or Why should I?”

“Instead of focusing on those who refuse to bridge, we have to focus on those who are willing, even if they are reluctant. Many people would rather not bridge, but some will. And that’s where our hope lies.”

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Can We Build a World Where We All Belong?

BOOK: The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong

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