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(New Mexico News Connection) There's evidence that respectful conversations about politics - while not changing hearts or minds - can lead to greater understanding on both sides. That's the goal of New Mexico's Braver Angels Alliance.

The local group is part of the larger national organization dedicated to political depolarization.

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Albuquerque volunteer Pat Hirschl said often meetings cannot be held unless there's both a red co-chair and a blue co-chair, to guarantee equal engagement about difficult topics.

"Locally we've had workshops, we've had skills training for bridging the divide in which you try to help people see how they can talk to their neighbors or their families," said Hirschl. "There are families that are split apart by this division in the politics."

Braver Angels takes its name from a speech by President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, when he encouraged both sides of the conflict to call on the "better angels" of their nature, rather than see each other as enemies.

Albuquerque's group will host a meetup at the Cherry Hills library this Thursday at 4 p.m. for a structured conversation on the topic of politics.

Hirschl said the meetings are not designed to get either side to agree with the other, but to recognize why people think the way they do based on their life experiences.

Across the country and in crucial swing states, Hirschl noted that independent voters are expected to play an outsize role in this year, and said leaders of the major parties would be smart to take notice.

"If they have any sense at all, both parties will reach out to those people who are not members of their party," said Hirschl. "So, we'll see - a ver que pasa - we'll see what happens."

The program for this year's Braver Angels national convention focused on four issues: abortion, economic inequality and growth, free speech versus hate speech, and immigration.

The nonprofit launched in 2016 and now has 120 chapters and some 12,000 members nationwide.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.