Oklahomans Take One Small Step Forward, Together

Meeting a stranger can be difficult for some people. Meeting a stranger with opposing beliefs can be even more difficult. But this year, Oklahomans have signed up to do it — to talk to someone they know ahead of time thinks differently than they do. The goal for One Small Step conversations is to get to know one another - learn about the stories and people that influenced them and their beliefs, in an effort to try to understand someone you might not have a chance to meet otherwise.

Take a listen to what we've heard people say on why they wanted to do this, what lessons they've learned from people in their lives, and what they hope for in their future discussions about politics.

Take a look at this video that shows the cohort of stations KOSU has been a part of this year and what this project has sounded like across the country.

So far, KOSU has been able to host 20 One Small Step Conversations. KOSU facilitators Kateleigh Mills and Matthew Viriyapah have paired nearly 40 Oklahomans with differing viewpoints for a personal, 50-minute conversation.

"My observations from a facilitator's standpoint is that people want to work together," Mills said. "We've been told by several participants how happy they've been to participate in a project like this, that they've felt they did something meaningful towards healing the divisions within our society — even if it is just a small step."

The multi-voice piece we created aimed to show that people joined this project with similar intentions. In a One Small Step conversation, after short introductions, participants ask each other four kick-off questions. The first is: What made you want to do the conversation today?

The second question is a chance for each participant to read out-loud, exactly as written, the bios people submit when they sign up to participate. After reading the other person's bio, which typically is in first-person, participants then ask follow-ups that pique their curiosity.

The third question is: Who has been the most influential person or persons in your life, and what did they teach you?

The third question allows each participant to get to know some of the values of the person sitting across from them. Were they influenced to be an independent person? Did someone in their life influence their career path?

The fourth question is: Could you briefly describe, in your own words, your personal political values?

The fourth question helps the participants ease into a political discussion — if they haven't yet done so. Some participants jump right into politics, while others want to share personal stories first.

Below are the seven people featured in the above multi-voice story.

1 of 7  — John One Small Step

John M.: "I heard about this on NPR, and I want to believe that people who maybe have different points of view still have the same end goals in life and can talk about things without being upset with each other."

Illustration by Blake Behrens

2 of 7  — David One Small Step

David Gallagher from Oklahoma City, OK: "I wanted to share a quote and that was, ‘You can't work with people you don't trust and you can't trust people you don't know.’"

Illustration by Blake Behrens

3 of 7  — Kelli One Small Step

Kelli Dickerson from Edmond, OK: "I am very much concerned for how we move forward as a society. I worry that the divide between us will be more important than the bonds that keep us together."

Illustration by Blake Behrens

4 of 7  — Will One Small Step

Will Daugherty from Oklahoma City, OK: "I think the most influential person was my big sister, Andy. And she taught me personal responsibility that there's nobody else to look for, that you have to be responsible for yourself, take care of yourself. And then she also influenced my political beliefs a lot and really just taught me that it's okay to go against the grain. It's okay to think for yourself and have ideas that might not be mainstream if you believe in them."

Illustration by Blake Behrens

5 of 7  — Patricia One Small Step

Patricia Baker from Enid, OK: "My dad in particular, really, really gave me the direction that I needed in life. I knew from very, very young I wanted to be a veterinarian, so he was the one that actually told me in the car -- I think we're in the Sonic drive thru or something like that -- and he was like, So what's your plan? Because we're not going to be paying for it.’ And so he gave me that lead time. And so that's what actually led me to the Air Guard. He just taught me a lot of those principles about working from a young age, like having that, that self-drive from a young age."

Illustration by Blake Behrens

6 of 7  — Larry One Small Step

Larry Shaw: "If somebody approaches me and wants to talk to me about politics - other than my daughter because I want to love my daughter and I don't want us to be at odds, so I just avoid it. Her husband and I - we’ll go back and forth and discuss things. But my daughter and I are both hot blooded, so it's best -- I just leave it alone because I'm not going to make a difference and I want to enjoy my life with her.

Illustration by Blake Behrens

7 of 7  — Holley One Small Step

Holley Hughes: "I feel like I'm closer to my mom now than I was before, and it's because we actually have those [political] discussions - like we wouldn’t... we absolutely could not do it before. But I feel like maybe [it’s because] I'm older."

Illustration by Blake Behrens

You can sign-up to participate in a One Small Step conversationhere.

StoryCorps' One Small Step Communities is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.