In 2012 after my tenure as White House Fellow in President Barack Obama’s administration, I felt pulled to help the economy grow in my native Tennessee. I accepted an appointment from Republican Gov. Bill Haslam as an assistant commissioner in the state’s economic development department overseeing international trade policy. My office was just a few hours away from my rural hometown, where I played basketball (post) and where my physician parents delivered babies and saved lives.

Shortly after starting at the White House, President Obama and I were publicly attacked by the Tea Party who falsely claimed that we were trying to bring down America. A few years later, when I moved back home and started working for the state of Tennessee, Gov Haslam and I were publicly attacked by people who falsely claimed that I was hired to bring Sharia Law to the state and take down America. These people claimed that I had already successfully infiltrated the federal government and the Democratic Party, and my next victims were the Republican Party and individual states, starting with Tennessee. Within weeks, billboards, newspaper ads, TV interviews, and protest marches, all demonizing me, were deployed. These people viewed being both Muslim and an American as an oxymoron. Their accusations were painful for me personally, and a wakeup call about the state of our union. More generally, polarization seemed like it was reaching a fever pitch. Entrepreneurial politicians, throngs of misinformation, and social media algorithms had rapidly accelerated the divisions between Americans. People close to me would later say that what happened to me was the “canary in a coalmine” moment. At the time, I felt alone and the words “misinformation” and “disinformation” weren’t even being used. I needed to be part of the solution. With that realization, the idea for Millions of Conversations was born.

In 2017 Millions of Conversations was formed by a group of Americans with backgrounds in civic engagement, national security, grassroots organizing, and conflict mediation. Our work centers around bringing Americans together through common values to create a shared future. We work locally and nationally with partners, funders, and citizens. We conduct research, execute media and storytelling campaigns, develop programming, and organize grassroots as well as grass tops efforts. MoC exposes and counters disinformation and misinformation that can lead to hate, fear, and violence. We challenge narratives that stigmatize our fellow Americans, disrupt intolerance before it takes root, and help heal communities through listening and respectful engagement so all Americans can feel seen, heard, and included.

Millions of Conversations was founded because the struggle for belonging affected our communities long before the 2016 presidential election and will affect them long after unless we do something different. From first generation immigrants living in New York City, to children of Appalachian coal miners, to the descendants of enslaved people, to me in Tennessee, we as Americans all share questions and hopes about belonging in America. At MoC, we envision an America where every American feels safe and free to be themselves. And with each conversation, we bring one another closer to creating a country where everyone can belong.