7Our current moment is filled with despair about climate crises and the possibility of coming to any kind of agreement that might change the dire outcomes. In this important antidote to the paralysis of hopelessness, Shoulder to Shoulder offers hope and a path forward in telling the stories of communities in Western North America who learned to talk to each other and to solve the conflicts between stakeholders. Loggers, cattle ranchers, river keepers, corporate developers, tree huggers, and indigenous peoples from many tribes are just a few of the real people in these stories of hope for our climate. This book is for anyone wanting to make a difference, anyone looking for camaraderie with others of like mind, anyone believing that democracy requires engaged citizenship, anyone looking for hope. The message throughout is that progress can be made when large numbers of caring, involved, thinking, co-operative people come together to protect both democracy and a livable planet. By working shoulder to shoulder, we can make positive change happen.