Our recent Nantahala River trip brought together 36 participants from diverse political and personal backgrounds for an unforgettable experience.
A group thinks they've found the solution to bridging the divide between two polarized political parties. Their conclusion was a literal manifestation of a metaphor you've heard before: "We're all in the same boat."
The idea is called RAFT For America.
On Wednesday, Powley's vision was put to the test with around 40 Americans of varying political ideologies on the French Broad River. "For folks that have not done this before, this is going to be one of the best days of their lives," Powley said. "The message we hear over and over is, 'Wow we're not as different as we thought we were.'”
A theme of the day was the impact of Helene on Western North Carolina and how communities bonded over what they had in common, not what divided them. (Mike) Hampton owns French Broad Adventures and said when the storm hit, he didn't have the luxury of thinking about national politics. He was only worried about his community. When the rivers rose during Helene, more than 100 people died in North Carolina and communities like Hot Springs were gutted.
Powley didn't choose Hot Springs by accident. In his mind, that town and Madison County and Western North Carolina exemplify RAFT for America's core principles. "We all know that we can get along and we can serve the same purpose, which is taking care of each other," Hampton said.
A group of about 30 Americans with diverse political leanings recently embarked on a rafting trip along a North Carolina river. The goal of the journey wasn't to change minds or persuade anyone to any point of view, but simply to forge connections across a seemingly widening divide. Major Garrett has the story.
Our recent RAFT for America trip on the Nantahala River in Bryson City, North Carolina brought together 36 participants from diverse political and personal backgrounds for an unforgettable experience. Watch as Democrats, Republicans, and everyone in between hit the rapids in this unique adventure where strangers from opposite sides of the political spectrum come together to swap ideas (and maybe a few splashes) in the spirit of fun, trust, and civil conversation. See how we break down stereotypes, share laughs, and prove that even in today’s divided world, we can all be friends – especially when there’s a river involved!
