Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other

Kamy Akhavan on What’s Actually Happening in Los Angeles, the Root Causes, and Bridging Our Divides

2025-06-13

In this episode, host Corey Nathan welcomes Kamy Akhavan, Executive Director at the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future and former CEO of ProCon.org. Kamy shares his extraordinary journey from war-torn Iran to becoming a champion of civil discourse and political bridge-building in the United States. What We Discuss: Kamy’s powerful immigration story and personal connection to today’s immigration challenges What's actually happening in Los Angeles vs what many news programs are showing How debate and listening helped shap...

What We Discuss:

Kamy’s powerful immigration story and personal connection to today’s immigration challenges
What's actually happening in Los Angeles vs what many news programs are showing
How debate and listening helped shape Kamy’s open-minded leadership
The mission of USC’s Center for the Political Future and its bipartisan impact
The root causes of polarization and how we can counteract them
Why respect, listening, and humility are foundational for meaningful dialogue

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:00] Kamy’s homage to Parliament Funkadelic and Sly Stone
[00:06:00] Living through war in Iran and escaping with his family
[00:14:00] Adjusting to poverty in Louisiana and finding strength in education
[00:18:00] Discovering a passion for political discourse through debate
[00:27:00] Leaving management consulting to lead ProCon.org
[00:30:00] Kamy's role at USC’s Center for the Political Future
[00:39:00] Building a culture where tough conversations can happen respectfully
[00:55:00] A deeper look into today’s immigration debates and polarization

Featured Quotes:
"Every person you meet knows more than you do about something. If you approach with humility, every conversation becomes a chance to learn." — Kamy Akhavan
"If you really want to be a powerful advocate for your cause, the best tool you have isn’t your mouth—it’s your ears." — Kamy Akhavan
"We all inherit democracy. And that inheritance is a gift many have died for." — Kamy Akhavan

Resources Mentioned:

USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future: https://dornsife-center-for-political-future.usc.edu/
ProCon.org: https://www.procon.org/
The Democracy Group: https://www.democracygroup.org/

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