Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

How One Military Veteran has Helped Unite Los Angeles in Times of Peace and Crisis

How One Military Veteran has Helped Unite Los Angeles in Times of Peace and Crisis

An illustration of diverse people around a heart with the design of the American flag.

Getty Images, wildpixel

Jason Mayo always felt a calling to serve, but his journey was anything but predictable. Drawn to service in the Marine Corps, due to its high bar for excellence, he dreamed of standing guard at U.S. embassies in countries like France and Germany, where he could leverage his proficiency in foreign languages.

As so often happens, life had other plans for Mayo, and a serious car accident led him to leave the military far earlier than he would have planned. It also left him with an unfulfilled sense of duty.


"I felt like I hadn't completed at least a small obligation to serve my country in some way," he recalled.

They often say Marines are cut from a different cloth, and this proved true yet again. With the armed services in his rearview mirror, Mayo went on to pursue a political science degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago, followed by a Master’s in Business for Veterans from the University of Southern Connecticut. He took his talents to the world of advertising and media, working with marquee brands like Men’s Health, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal.

Still, he felt a draw to the veteran community. He was eager to engage with veterans and partner with others who served but was unsure of how his short time in service would be received.

That mindset changed once he discovered +More Perfect Union (MPU)—an organization dedicated to bridging the political and social divides—through his connections in the veteran community.

“I saw the divisiveness happening everywhere, and I felt compelled to do something about it,” Mayo explained.

Today, Mayo has risen to a different type of rank. He founded the Los Angeles Brickyard for +MPU and acts as a beacon for other veterans in his community who are drawn to a new kind of service. Through community-building events and one-on-one conversations alike, Mayo uses his experience as a creative leader to transcend ideological divides and connect with peers in a more meaningful way.

One of the most impactful efforts on Mayo’s lengthy resume was a community screening of “Join or Die , a documentary centered on the widespread decline of civic engagement. The event was a call to action for locals to join forces, not just in the case of a crisis but as an ongoing commitment to community-building and regional pride.

Tragically, a crisis did strike Los Angeles and its surrounding communities in the weeks that followed: a devastating series of wildfires destroyed thousands of homes, local businesses, and beloved community spaces.

When Mayo first surveyed the destruction, he faced an overwhelming question: where to begin? The community he cherished lay in ruins, with homes and buildings reduced to smoldering remains. It was during this moment of uncertainty that he discovered something remarkable.

As a member of The Ronald Reagan American Legion Post 283 (where President Reagan himself had once been a member), Mayo was astonished to find the building standing untouched amid widespread devastation—one of the few structures spared by the inferno. This preservation wasn't just fortunate; it was symbolic.

With former Post Commander Jim Cragg, Mayo designed a plan to turn Post 283 into a community hub—a central gathering place where residents could find both practical help and emotional support. With the help of the Post's leadership, Post 283 became more than a building, it became the heart of the community's recovery efforts—a place to gather, grieve, and gradually turn toward rebuilding. The building soon housed representatives from FEMA, insurance companies, the Red Cross, and faith organizations, creating a one-stop resource center for a community that was desperately seeking answers and direction.

In the coming weeks and months, this work will transition to long-term rebuilding efforts that help restore a sense of peace and togetherness to the area—ranging from flag plantings to community dinners and holiday celebrations.

“My goal is to help people engage with their communities in meaningful ways. It’s not just about talk. It’s about action,” he said.

Inspired by his volunteer work, Mayo launched Kymatholi, a public relations and marketing agency dedicated to bolstering connections within American communities. The firm primarily works with brands that embody the company’s mission to promote civic engagement and social cohesion.

“I only want to work with organizations that help make America stronger, whether through local economies, social fabric, or civic participation,” he said.

Mayo’s work in the military gave him a foundation—teaching him leadership, discipline, and most importantly, adaptability. It’s these skills that Mayo now leans on as he works to strengthen communities, connect with like-minded veterans, and rally people of different political backgrounds for a common purpose.

“The military teaches you how to work with people who don’t look like you, who don’t think like you, but who are all working toward the same goal,” he said. “That’s exactly the mindset we need to bring to our communities today.”

Whether he’s rebuilding communities after deadly wildfires or moderating a conversation in an ideologically polarized city, Mayo continues to serve his country—this time, without a uniform.

“I’m not in the military anymore, but I’m still serving,” he said. “I’m glad I get to put those skills to work.”

Jake Harriman is the CEO and co-founder of +More Perfect Union.

Read More

Multi-colored speech bubbles overlapping.

Stanford’s Strengthening Democracy Challenge shows a key way to reduce political violence: reveal that most Americans reject it.

Getty Images, MirageC

In the Aftermath of Assassinations, Let’s Show That Americans Overwhelmingly Disapprove of Political Violence

In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination—and the assassination of Minnesota state legislator Melissa Hortman only three months ago—questions inevitably arise about how to reduce the likelihood of similar heinous actions.

Results from arguably the most important study focused on the U.S. context, the Strengthening Democracy Challenge run by Stanford University, point to one straightforward answer: show people that very few in the other party support political violence. This approach has been shown to reduce support for political violence.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two speech bubbles overlapping each other.

Political outrage is rising—but dismissing the other side’s anger deepens division. Learn why taking outrage seriously can bridge America’s partisan divide.

Getty Images, Richard Drury

Taking Outrage Seriously: Understanding the Moral Signals Behind Political Anger

Over the last several weeks, the Trump administration has deployed the National Guard to the nation’s capital to crack down on crime. While those on the right have long been aghast by rioting and disorder in our cities, pressing for greater military intervention to curtail it, progressive residents of D.C. have tirelessly protested the recent militarization of the city.

This recent flashpoint is a microcosm of the reciprocal outrage at the heart of contemporary American public life. From social media posts to street protests to everyday conversations about "the other side," we're witnessing unprecedented levels of political outrage. And as polarization has increased, we’ve stopped even considering the other political party’s concerns, responding instead with amusement and delight. Schadenfreude, or pleasure at someone else’s pain, is now more common than solidarity or empathy across party lines.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two speech bubbles overlapping.

Recent data shows that Americans view members of the opposing political party overly negatively, leading people to avoid political discourse with those who hold different views.

Getty Images, Richard Drury

How To Motivate Americans’ Conversations Across Politics

Introduction

A large body of research shows that Americans hold overly negative distortions of those across the political spectrum. These misperceptions—often referred to as "Perception Gaps"—make civil discourse harder, since few Americans are eager to engage with people they believe are ideologically extreme, interpersonally hostile, or even threatening or inferior. When potential disagreement feels deeply uncomfortable or dangerous, conversations are unlikely to begin.

Correcting these distortions can help reduce barriers to productive dialogue, making Americans more open to political conversations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Divided American flag

Rev. Dr. F. Willis Johnson writes on the serious impacts of "othering" marginalized populations and how, together, we must push back to create a more inclusive and humane society.

Jorge Villalba/Getty Images

New Rules of the Game: Weaponization of Othering

By now, you have probably seen the viral video. Taylor Townsend—Black, bold, unbothered—walks off the court after a bruising match against her white European opponent, Jelena Ostapenko. The post-match glances were sharper than a backhand slice. Next came the unsportsmanlike commentary—about her body, her "attitude," and a not-so-veiled speculation about whether she belonged at this level. To understand America in the Trump Redux era, one only needs to study this exchange.

Ostapenko vs. Townsend is a microcosm of something much bigger: the way anti-democratic, vengeful politics—modeled from the White House on down—have bled into every corner of public life, including sports. Turning “othering” into the new national pastime. Divisive politics has a profound impact on marginalized groups. Neither Ostapenko nor Donald Trump invented this playbook, yet Trump and his sycophants are working to master it. Fueled by a sense of grievance, revenge, and an insatiable appetite for division, he—like Ostapenko—has normalized once somewhat closeted attitudes.

Keep ReadingShow less