This is a special dispatch episode of the Cultivating Civility podcast series. Hello, I’m Diane Kalen-Sukra, founder of Kalen Academy, author of Save Your City and the upcoming book Lead with Civility—a practical guide for uncivil times. One year ago today, nearly 500 civic leaders from 350 cities and 10 countries came together for the inaugural Global Civility Summit—a gathering that reminded the world that even in divided times, civility still has champions. That conversation didn’t en...

Civility is not about being polite. It’s about having the moral courage to protect human dignity, uphold respect, and build communities where democracy can thrive. In this powerful keynote from the 2025 Compassionate Action Conference, your host Diane Kalen-Sukra—author of Save Your City and founder of Kalen Academy—explores what civility really means and why it’s the key to healing toxic public life. Addressing thousands of changemakers gathered for the Charter for Compassion’s global ...

In this Civility Dispatch episode, your host Diane Kalen-Sukra reminds us that If incivility can trickle down, so can respect. And right now, one of the most powerful culture-shaping acts we have is at the ballot box. This isn’t just about politics—it’s about the kind of world we’re creating together. Diane shares timely insights and invites you to be part of a global conversation at the upcoming Democracy & Tyranny symposium, hosted by Plato’s Academy Centre. Together, we’ll explore what...

What if Alexis de Tocqueville, the 19th-century thinker who warned about the fragility of democracy, could see our media landscape today? Tocqueville believed a free press was both vital and dangerous—a powerful force that could protect liberty or manipulate public opinion. He saw that when the press fails to inform, democracy starts to unravel. Fast forward to today: Corporate media consolidates narratives. Local journalism is vanishing. Outrage and misinformation flood our feeds. Would Tocq...

In today’s polarized climate, where division is currency and conflict is stoked for power, what does real leadership look like? How do we, as civic leaders and engaged citizens, resist the pull of tribalism, stand firm in our principles, and rebuild trust in our communities? In this compelling episode of Cultivating Civility, we explore these urgent questions with Ron Holifield, servant leadership provocateur and CEO of Strategic Government Resources (SGR). Together, we unpack the leadership ...

Everywhere you turn there's chaos—politics thrives on outrage, social media fuels division, and fear is the currency of the day. But this isn’t new. Imagine being Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor facing war, political betrayal, and a devastating plague. His world was crumbling, yet he remained steady. How? By mastering the art of resilience, choosing wisdom over outrage, and cultivating inner peace in the midst of external chaos. In this episode of the Cultivating Civility podcast, I break ...

In an era of rising incivility, public leaders face an uphill battle. Governing has never been more difficult, with polarization, harassment, and institutional paralysis becoming the norm. The temptation to meet hostility with hostility is stronger than ever—but what if that approach only deepens the chaos? On this special Civility Dispatch episode of the Cultivating Civility Podcast, I, Diane Kalen-Sukra, explore a vital truth: civility is not niceness—it’s leadership. True civility isn’t ab...

Can compassion truly shape public policy? Can civic leadership be both bold and empathetic? In this compelling episode of Cultivating Civility, your host Diane Kalen-Sukra sits down with Mayor Ron Nirenberg, a leader who has made compassion the bedrock of his governance in San Antonio, Texas. From his very first act in office—signing a resolution affirming San Antonio as a Compassionate City—to groundbreaking policies on equity-based budgeting and community-wide compassion training, May...

On this Valentine’s Day, consider this a different kind of love letter—not to a person, but to a country. In this special Civility Dispatch, Diane Kalen-Sukra, your host of the Cultivating Civility Podcast, shares Beyond Beer & Booing: Loving Canada Means Living Our Values. Too often, national pride gets reduced to clichés and grievances, but love of country—real civic love—is about more than slogans. It’s about how we engage, how we govern, and whether we truly live out the values ...

Welcome to the Cultivating Civility podcast series! I’m your host and Save Your City author, speaker & Kalen Academy founder Diane Kalen-Sukra, and together we’ll be exploring ways to tackle toxic behaviour in public spaces & shape a culture of respect and civility in our communities. Each episode of this series features insightful conversations with civic leaders and sages who are leading the charge in bridging divides, enhancing civil discourse and renewing civic culture. Insp...