Can people with deeply different identities and perspectives still stay connected through dialogue?

In this powerful season premiere of Our Stories Matter: Campus Voices – Civil Engagement in an Era of Division, Heidi Basch-Harod and Nada Higuera share an intimate conversation about identity, grief, and the possibility of understanding across one of the most difficult global divides.

Heidi, the daughter of Israel and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, and Nada, the daughter of Palestine, reflect on how their unlikely friendship began in the aftermath of October 7th—and how it has been shaped by honesty, emotional vulnerability, and a commitment to listening without erasing difference.

Rather than trying to win arguments, they focus on staying in relationship, even when the conversations are uncomfortable.

In this episode, we explore:
• Civil engagement on college campuses
• Israel–Palestine dialogue across difference
• Difficult conversations and emotional regulation
• Empathy, listening, and perspective-taking
• Friendship across political and cultural divides
• The role of higher education in public discourse

This conversation challenges the idea that agreement is required for connection. Instead, it highlights what becomes possible when people choose curiosity, accountability, and humanity over polarization.

If you care about civil discourse, conflict resolution, education, or bridge-building, this episode offers a deeply human example of what dialogue can look like in practice.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation.

In this riveting episode, we sit down with Lara Burns, a former FBI counterterrorism expert, for a deep dive into the evolution of terrorism—from the attacks of September 11, 2001, to the emerging threats we see on today’s college campuses. With decades of experience tracking radicalization and confronting violent extremism, Lara brings a sharp, informed lens to the disturbing parallels between global terror tactics and the ideological warfare now playing out in academic institutions.

Together, we trace the shifting landscape of terrorism, explore how misinformation and propaganda fuel hate movements, and discuss the impact of geopolitical trauma—like the events of October 7—on students, particularly Jewish and Israeli, that increasingly face intimidation and silencing.

Lara’s insights offer a wake-up call: the front lines of extremism are no longer just abroad—they’re here, where the next generation is being shaped. This episode challenges listeners to examine what safety, free speech, and moral responsibility mean in today’s educational spaces.