Bridge Entertainment Labs

Happy Earth Day! @United_ByNature – powered by @NINP_org – is rebranding conservation to make it fun, rewarding, and something every American feels called to be part of. With their new online show "The Fire Pit," they're showing that Americans still care deeply about protecting our wild places, and the best way to spark real change is by meeting people where they already are: in culture, not politics. The “Fire Pit” YouTube series brings together two people from very different backgrounds around one of humanity’s oldest rituals: gathering by a fire. Season one included opposites like a conservative influencer and a drag queen. We’re excited to see a show that prioritizes surprising connections between folks who initially might think they don’t have very much in common. By the end, viewers are left with the sense that communing with nature creates connection, even between the most unlikely pairs. Who would you bring to your campfire? youtube.com/watch?v=2Cm52j…

Eden Stiffman’s latest for the @Philanthropy captures the strategic bet behind our work: inspiring the entertainment industry to create better stories of us: “This Nonprofit Whispers in Hollywood’s Ear About Polarization. They Hope You Tune In.” Stiffman explains that BEL focuses on turning research into practical insights that storytellers can apply. The goal isn’t to make storytellers “eat their vegetables” or to introduce explicit bridging themes into every story; instead it’s to make small changes that might encourage audiences to think more deeply about a certain character or group. As BEL CEO @StevenOlikara says, stories don’t merely inform people. They shape what feels normal, what feels possible, and who feels recognizable. With Bridge Entertainment Labs, the goal is to move beyond “us versus them” narratives. . This work is also subtle. As Erica Lynn Rosenthal, director of research at the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California, puts it, “When people feel like they’re being preached to or manipulated … they tend to shut down and reject the message.” The best stories feel authentic, not didactic. As Steven says: “If it feels like a lesson, it doesn’t work.” As Stiffman points out, our work is about reaching a Hollywood that values viewpoint diversity. “There are many more people in the entertainment industry, storytellers we work with who are more heterodox in their views, beliefs, and political opinions, than people would realize,” Steven says. “They almost come out quietly to us. They feel like we are a trusted space where they can truly be their full selves and not have to silence certain parts of them for fear of being canceled.” And, while this kind of work can be slow, it’s also very powerful. Hollywood has used storytelling to move the needle on issues from drunk driving to gay marriage. Indeed, BEL’s efforts are already driving real change within the entertainment industry. As Steven puts it: “We just see more and more of an effort among storytellers to connect our mission to the work that they’re doing. It’s now really part of the zeitgeist in the industry.” 🙏🙏@flyingwrestler Link to the article in comments!

Last week our founding CEO @StevenOlikara was honored by the Lumen Awards (presented by the Impact Lounge)! He received the Common Ground award for his work combating toxic polarization and working to help Americans of all stripes to better see each other. Steven has been a champion of depolarization since the earliest days of the bridge-building movement. From his early work founding @futurecaucus, to his work as a Fellow for @BuildersMvt and as a Senior Fellow for @GovArnoldUSC, to his tenure as CEO of Bridge Entertainment Labs, he has worked tirelessly to combat the division-industrial complex and to help knit the American community back together. At the award ceremony, Steven talked about: - The importance of walking in our purpose even when it’s difficult. - How storytelling can turn isolated bridge-building moments into a powerful cultural movement - The relationship between storytelling and American democracy, and how telling new American “stories of us” can reinvigorate our democracy for the next 250 years. @prohuman_org , @UWMadison Link to his full acceptance speech in the comments!