Lunch Choice
Buy lunch for a friend who is demographically (age, race, class, etc.) different from you. Ask them how they’re doing, and really listen to what they say.
Don’t dive directly into politics or point out your differences. Just build the relationship naturally.
Why we do it:
Most of us live in segregated communities. This is partly legacy structures (red-lining persists) but it’s also a matter of comfort. We are more likely to spend our free time with people who are a lot like us. We have more in common, are less likely to “say the wrong thing,” etc.
Break down those walls. Invite someone significantly older or younger than you to lunch. Tell them you’re paying up-front and spend the time getting to know them. Invite someone from a different religion, race or culture. If you’re college-educated, invite a friend who has a blue-collar life.
Interrogate your life for those people you have some connection with, that’s somehow never become a fuller friendship, and build on it. If lunch is too much, start with coffee. Think of it as dating for diversity.
