What is BridgeUSA?
BridgeUSA is a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates spaces on high school and college campuses for open discussion between students about political issues. Political division is one of our biggest challenges in the United States. Today’s youth are being taught that tribalism is better than unity and that having conversations across our differences is impossible. Spoiler Alert: This isn’t true!
We began in 2016 at the universities of Notre Dame, CU-Boulder, and UC Berkeley in response to growing polarization on campus. Our work emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding, ideological diversity and solution-oriented politics. By engaging America’s youth in constructive discussions, we are equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills necessary for navigating conflict, finding solutions across differences and building bridges in their communities.
We are currently located on over 50 college campuses and 24 high school campuses in the U.S..
Our Values
Constructive Engagement
We teach students how to have constructive discourse across lines of difference by practicing empathy and understanding.
Ideological Diversity
Partisanship is our opportunity. To be a better champion for our own beliefs and find solutions, we need to understand the other side.
Solution-Oriented Politics
We want solutions, not sound bites. It’s time to work toward long-term progress.