We believe firmly in a concept called civil discourse, which has been a hallmark of The Junior League across our history. People talking to each other in constructive ways to address and resolve society’s problems, that’s our pocket definition of the term. And we, like others, have spotted the trends in our society in politics, entertainment and popular culture that are fast eroding civil discourse.

So we were delighted to see a major corporation – Starbucks – put its brand behind the need for civil discourse through a major ad campaign that broke in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal this week. We will let Starbucks say why: “When you read the headlines. Or turn on the news. When you scroll through your social media feed. Or listen to the candidates. You could easily mistake America as a nation, lost. A people who have severed the common bonds that hold us together — compassion, respect, shared responsibility, a belief in service, a willingness to unite despite our differences.”

Thank you, Starbucks. For a PDF of the ad, go to this link.