Even though Alex Reinoso is a proud liberal, he felt more frustrated than ever after attending local rallies protesting Trump’s travel ban.
“It’s been an echo chamber — everything is one-sided,” the advertising executive, 33, told The Post. “[Liberals and conservatives] are divided on so many levels. But we don’t talk to each other, and we don’t know our neighbors. We’ve lost this middle ground.
‘We asked about each other’s different points of view. Even though our politics are different, we have fundamental values that align’
“I’ve had enough of that. It’s time to talk to one another.”
The only problem? He doesn’t know any conservative New Yorkers.
So Reinoso, who lives in Greenpoint, posted more than 150 flyers around Midtown and the Financial District. “Those areas have high foot traffic and commuters from different [areas],” he said.
“All my friends are liberal. My newsfeed is one-sided,” the flyers read. “Are you a conservative dealing with the same issue? If so I’d like to talk . . . The first round is on me.”
Since then, he’s received more than 100 e-mails and texts. And although some people have trolled Reinoso with essay-long messages supporting the travel ban, he has begun to make genuine connections.
Last week, he met up with a middle-aged Republican man over beers in Midtown, where they talked about their views. They were both against the nomination of education secretary Betsy DeVos and the immigration ban.
“It was very adult — there was no debate,” Reinoso said. “We asked about each other’s different points of view. Even though our politics are different, we have fundamental values that align.”
Reinoso has another chat set up, and he hopes to meet more than 30 people in the next few months.
“It’d be great to make friends out of this,” he said. “I love encounters with strangers and being able to talk about anything. That’s the New York I fell in love with.”