Press "Enter" to skip to content

Professor Antepli and Ray Starling on the NC Leadership Forum, Fayetteville Observer.

Sanford professor Abdullah Antepli and general counsel for the North Carolina Chamber, Ray Starling co-wrote an op-ed on the NC Leadership Forum in the Fayetteville Observer.

The North Carolina Leadership Forum provides a platform for civic, business, and political leaders to discuss North Carolina issues and solutions, the future of the state, and foster productive engagement.

Both Abdullah Antepli and Ray Starling are steering committee members for the NCLF. Their op-ed, “This Thanksgiving season, here are 3 steps for overcoming partisan divides” provides helpful tips on advancing respectful discourse and deeper connections with those that may not share the same political viewpoints or world experiences.

“First, it is important to talk about topics where we disagree and try to understand where the disagreement is coming from…Talking in detail helped us defuse misconceptions and brainstorm possible responses we could support.

…Second, it is critical to build trusted relationships with people who hold different views if we want to make progress on important topics.

…Third, leaders need to work constructively — and visibly — with each other regardless of party, race, ethnicity, gender or where we live.”

— Professor Abdullah Antepli & Ray Starling

To check out the full Fayetteville Observer article click here

Professor Abdullah Antepli is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Interfaith Relations and an Associate Professor of the Practice at the Sanford School of Public Policy