In times when organizations, industries, and even communities retreat into silos—guarding resources, competing for attention, or working in isolation—the role of a convener becomes not just important, but indispensable.
I was reminded of this while reflecting on a symposium the Latino Leadership Institute hosted in 2019. We brought together the Center for American Progress and the George W. Bush Presidential Institute—two institutions with very different perspectives—to discuss migration and the economy. At the time, it felt natural to bring people with divergent viewpoints around one table. Today, that kind of dialogue feels harder to achieve, but it is also more urgent than ever.
Conveners are more than hosts. They create the conditions for trust, dialogue, and shared purpose. They remind us that scarcity is not solved by hoarding, but by aligning. That lasting progress does not come from competition alone, but from collaboration that multiplies impact.
When others shrink the circle, conveners expand the table.
When others narrow their vision, conveners broaden perspective.
When others protect turf, conveners cultivate common ground.
I cannot control every divide in our world, but I can choose my role in it. And I choose to convene more than I compete—because collaboration is how we build the future we all deserve.
