One thing in the volatile debate about immigration is clear. There are no simple executive fixes or legislative solutions. No portion of language or law can eliminate the striking divisions here in our community or in the nation. But there is one way to turn down the heat and focus the light on this subject – education and global competence.

Focusing on the long-term doesn’t detract from following your beliefs and acting on your principles in the near. At the Asian Pacific Development Center in Aurora where I serve as deputy director, we have a nearly four-decade reputation for welcoming immigrants and partnering across our community to provide the services they need to integrate into communities. As an attorney, I am committed to helping refugees especially navigate through this wondrous land of opportunity, often facing down unscrupulous employers and slumlords. No one who advocates for new arrivals to our great country is a stranger to a fight.

But other experiences have shown me that the battle for rights and recognition must be waged alongside a deliberate increase of knowledge and sharing. The two paths are inseparable.

In October 2016, I had the privilege of participating in the Kakehashi Project with the support of the government of Japan. The word Kakehashi (Kah-kuh-HOSH-ee) means “bridge” in Japanese and the program brings groups of Asian-American leaders from throughout the U.S. to Japan and learn about Japanese history, culture and system of government. We had the privilege of meeting with various experts and learning directly from them about Japanese history, culture and current affairs.

We learned about the history and significance of U.S.-Japan relations, current political issues and the Japanese system of government, including the legal system. Our experiences ranged from Zen meditation and a traditional tea ceremony to visits to a sake distillery and a world-famous fish market.

Then one day we stopped at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and met with a survivor of the Atomic Bombing to learn about her experience. As Americans, we were deeply moved by this personal testimony.

No matter your opinion on issues or your perspective on history, as human beings we are enriched by personal exchange. No matter what level of education you have, or what profession or occupation, your understanding of yourself and your nation is enhanced by growing global competence.

My trip inspired me to “pay forward” the experience by hosting Kakehashi groups from Japan. One group received a presentation regarding the refugee community in Colorado and met with leaders from the Bhutanese refugee community. After the meeting, the students were treated to authentic food from Bhutan. For a second group, students learned about Colorado’s Muslim community and then met and dined with the community’s leaders.

For many of the participants, it was the first time they had ever personally met or spoken to a person of the other nationality and ethnicity. The program was structured to give them time to have conversations and the subjects ranged from clothing and food to the role of women in their societies.

We know globally that the trend in many countries is to turn inward, withdrawing into a focus on holding fast to what we know. The political popularity of isolationism in many places is obvious. The plain fact that anger directed at ethnic and religious minorities seems amplified in the current debates is a profound challenge to me and demoralizing to many who hold tolerance and inclusiveness as a basic American value.

The work ahead on issues of immigration and plight of refugees is definitely a matter for elected officials, activists and courts. But the politics of it all – the art of the possible – will only be effective in the long-term when human understanding is our foundation, when voices from dialogues like those from person-to-person exchange are too numerous to ignore.