Join AAUW and library staff in person in the library lower level, or virtually on the library virtually on the library Facebook and YouTube for a discussion with Braver Angels representatives Bruce Morlan and Ed Marek.
Braver Angels is a National Grassroots organization working to depolarize America. The division in our political system is not working for the country or any of us. Come learn about the various skills training available through Braver Angels that can enable you to have civil conversations across the political divide. How you can become a part of the initiative to create a Civic Renewal Movement to reweave the social fabric in our country. The division in this country will require all of us to be involved to make the changes necessary to bridge the divide and strengthen our democratic republic.
Bruce Morlan is a native of Minnesota – having been born and raised in the southern farm country near Rochester. He left Minnesota to become a career Air Force Officer, serving as a launch officer, then moving on to become a military mathematician. First as a staff officer, then as an instructor, his career focused around being an analyst and a translator. In his second career Bruce conducted clinical trials as a statistician, and did data mining for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Bruce joined Rotary late in life, in 2015. He has been an ambassador without portfolio for Braver Angels since it first formed, and attended the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Braver Angels Convention (in 2019, 2023 and 2024) as a Red. He is part of the Red Caucus in BA. Bruce has 6 grandchildren who give him the motivation to continue to work to make the world a better place, with both climate change and our political divisiveness as two immediate concerns. To relax, Bruce reads, writes, sails and bikes. He also is vocal in several coffee groups that bridge the political divide.
Ed Marek, a Chicago native, came to Minnesota to earn an MBA from the University of Minnesota. The majority of Ed’s professional career was in nonprofit fundraising and management, most notably with the American Red Cross and the Minnesota Environmental Fund. During his time with the Red Cross, he served on numerous national disaster assignments traveling throughout Minnesota as well as Louisiana and Missouri. Ed has been a member of four Rotary clubs: Shakopee, Eden Prairie, St. Paul Sunrise and now Northfield. Ed served as 5960 District Governor in 2020-21. He serves in Braver Angels as an Ambassador and as the Braver Network State Partner Rep for Minnesota. Ed is married to his best friend Sue, and they have a son, Steve and four years ago lost their daughter, Amanda, to breast cancer. In his spare time, he enjoys cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, camping, hiking and reading.