Press Release: Merger Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Non-Government Anti-Extremism Efforts Adapt 

Amid Void of Federal Leadership

As federal resources dry up, civil society is deepening collaboration against ideologically-motivated violence during an era of heightened hate and political violence

March 4, 2026

Contact: Joe Yates, PERIL

jyates@american.edu

WASHINGTON – MARCH 4, 2026. Two leading efforts working to prevent hate-fueled and political violence are joining forces amid declining federal engagement and rising threats. A leading scholar on violence prevention and former federal officials who became nonprofit leaders have merged Bedrock, a national partnership working to prevent hate-fueled and political violence, with PERIL (The Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab) at American University, an applied research lab focused on decreasing the risk factors associated with extremist violence and enhancing the protective factors that keep individuals and communities safe and thriving. 

The merger comes as federal resources dedicated to addressing hate-fueled and political violence have sharply declined since President Trump took office, while threats against marginalized communities, public officials, and civil society organizations have increased.

Bedrock was launched in 2022 following the Tops Supermarket mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, when leaders across government and civil society sought to strengthen collaboration against ideologically motivated violence. The initiative was co-founded by Ryan Greer and former heads of the White House Domestic Policy Council from both parties to bridge divides among organizations working in the space.

PERIL is an applied research lab founded in 2020 by Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss. The lab uses a public health approach to design, test and scale-up evidence-based tools and strategies that effectively reduce the threat of extremist violence and related harms. PERIL’s resources work to address online and offline risk factors, and to support individuals and communities with the knowledge, willingness and confidence to play a proactive role in prevention.

“Hate-fueled and political violence are a public health problem requiring a whole-of-society solution,” said Bill Braniff, Executive Director of PERIL. “Aligning PERIL’s evidence-based resources and our Community Advisory, Resource and Education (CARE) model in locations across the country with the 67 amazing Bedrock Partners will help foster a broad prevention ecosystem supporting democracy, human rights and civil liberties, anti-hate efforts and targeted violence prevention efforts. Translated into risk and protective factors, these things are inter-related and mutually supportive. We’re honored to welcome Bedrock into the PERIL family.”

“An ecosystem of otherwise strange bedfellows has put aside differences in recognition of the incredibly high rates of hate-fueled and political violence and are working together,” said Ryan Greer, inaugural President and now Chair of Bedrock. “We’ve helped inform, connect, and convene stakeholders who implement prevention programs, communicate to de-escalate tensions, and advocate for policy solutions. Now those partner organizations face greater risks and greater demand for their work. Marginalized communities, public servants, and others under threat need our collaboration now more than ever.”

“Democracy is a verb, and collaborating across differences underpins America’s greatness,” said John Bridgeland, Bedrock co-founder and former head of domestic policy under President George W. Bush. “I’m grateful that coming together across differences has led to even deeper collaboration, and proud to see Bedrock and PERIL model the humility and partnership that our nation’s leaders should embody.”

“Marginalized communities often lack the power to protect themselves from government or vigilante violence,” said Cecilia Muñoz, Bedrock co-founder and former head of domestic policy under President Barack Obama. “We founded Bedrock to advance a discipline that can safeguard Americans for a generation to come. This merger positions the work to grow and meet the moment.”

“While I am prone to call on our government leaders to safeguard American communities and liberties, clearly we cannot rely on our current government to do that,” said Ambassador Susan Rice, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor. “From ISIS-motivated terrorism to hate and political violence, leadership with integrity is key. We need non-government leaders now more than ever.”

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About Bedrock

Bedrock is a 67-organization partnership working across differences to prevent hate-fueled and political violence by strengthening collaboration among practitioners, researchers, and community leaders.

About PERIL

The Polarization & Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University is an applied research lab studying the risk factors and protective factors that increase or mitigate ideologically motivated violence and related harms. Through this merger, PERIL will serve as Bedrock’s parent organization.

Bedrock Partners