DI/BA Partnership Site

Update (July 27): Dates have been announced (August 22 and 24) for the workshops for volunteers. Learn more.

Update (July 10): the workshop application for Alliances is now available. Learn more, or apply now.

Contempt is a blind spot.

“We all use contempt to some degree. When we use it, it’s hard to see it. But when we see it, it’s hard to use it. I’m hoping that [after this workshop], you will start to see the language of contempt so that it becomes hard to use.”

–Tami Pyfer, Co-Creator, Dignity Index

The creators of The Dignity Index have identified a key driver of the divisions in our country: contempt. Contempt drives us apart, while Dignity brings us together. The Dignity Index was created to show us the difference.

Thanks to a national partnership with Braver Angels, The Dignity Index Workshop is available for Braver Angels Alliances to bring to their members and local communities. Special offerings of The Dignity Index Workshop are also available to Braver Angels Moderators and Ambassadors.

What is The Dignity Index?

The Dignity Index in Action: Workshop Preview. | Filmed at the 2024 Braver Angels National Convention.

The Index

The Dignity Index is a rubric that scores distinct phrases along an eight-point scale from contempt to dignity.

Lower scores (1-4) reflect divisive language while higher scores (5-8) reflect language grounded in dignity.

The Workshop

The Dignity Index workshop is a 90-minute interactive training session that introduces the eight-point scale.

Participants practice analyzing speech, everyday conversations, or public remarks, and learn de-escalation skills or ‘dignity phrases’ to reduce conflict.

The Impact

The Dignity Index team reports three main outcomes:

The Electrifying Effect. The Index triggers a striking demand among people for briefings, training sessions, public speeches, curricular materials, and workshops.
The Mirror Effect. At first, observers treat the Index as a tool for judging others, then find it is a mirror for seeing themselves.
The Agency Effect. When people spend time with the Index, they discover that contempt is the problem, that they contribute to it, and they can take action to help solve it.

Get Started

Moderators, Ambassadors, Chairs and Field Leaders: experience the Dignity Index Workshop.

Moderators, Ambassadors, Debate Chairs, and Field Leaders are invited to two special offerings of The Dignity Index Workshop:

Saturday, August 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 am PT
Monday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT

Volunteers: Learn More

Alliances: bring the Dignity Index Workshop to your Alliance or community.

Alliances - this one’s for you! We know you work hard to make courageous citizenship the honored norm. Countless workshops, debates, and town halls happen because of you.

Now, here’s a skill-building workshop -- not just organized by you, but for you and your community. The Dignity Index workshop is a team-building opportunity, and your Alliance is the team.

Alliance Leaders: Learn More or Apply

More information

Read the FAQ

Get more details in our Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Review the Volunteer Meeting or Monthly Field Call notes

These Dignity Index opportunities were presented at:

the July 9 Moderator Forum: YouTube Video at 7:05
the July 20 National Field Call: Event Summary (GDoc) is available on the Field Meetings page (login req'd).
the July 21 Ambassador Monthly Meeting: Recap Document / YouTube Video

Contact us

For more information, contact Scott Palmer, Partnership Lead, at scott@braverangels.org.

“We treat people who disagree with us with honesty, dignity, and respect.”—from The Braver Angels Way

This website and its contents are intended for use by members and volunteers of Braver Angels. The website should not be shared externally nor used for other purposes.